j  CALIFORNIA  STATE  MININd  BUREAU.  Ti 

A.  S.  COOPER,  State  Mineralogist. 


BULLETIN  No.  19. 


San  Francisco,  November,  1900. 


1  ID  m  iimii  n 


OF   CALIFORNIA. 


By  W.  L.  WATTS,  E.M. 


i'liblisheii  under  the  Direction  of  HENRV  T.  GAGE,  Governor  of  the  State  of  California. 


SACRAMENTO: 

A,  J,  JOHNSTON,     ::::::     superintendent  state  printing. 

1900. 


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CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU. 


A,  S.  COOPER,  State  Mineralogist. 


BULLETIN  No.  19. 


San  Francisco,  November,  1900. 


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OF   CALIFORNIA. 


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By  W.  L.  WATTS,  E.M. 


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PuMished  under  the  Direction  of  HENRY  T.  GAGE,  Governor  of  tlie  State  of  California. 


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CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU. 


A.  S.  COOPER,  State  Mineralogist. 


BULLETIN  No.  19. 


San  Francisco,  November,  1900. 


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m  m  111  wATis 


OF   CALIFORNIA. 


<: 


By  W.  L.  WATTS,  E.M. 


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Published  under  the  Direction  of  HENRY  T.  GAGE,  Governor  of  the  State  of  California. 


A.    J.    JOHNSTON, 


SACRAMENTO: 

:    :    :  :     superintendent  state  printing. 
1900. 


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CONTENTS. 


Page. 

LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 13-14 

LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL 15-16 

PART  1. 

Chapter  1.    Introductory 17-18 

[The  figures  refer  to  Paragraphs  under  each  Part  and  Chapter.] 

Value  of  the  petroleum  industry  in  California,  1 ;  New  developments  along  lines 
indicated  by  the  Mining  Bureau,  2;  Personal  research  takes  longer  than  the  gather- 
ing of  hearsay  information,  3;  The  value  of  maps  and  illustrations,  4;  The  value  of 
fossils  in  geological  research,  5;  The  work  of  investigation  has  been  confined  to 
definite  lines  of  research,  6. 

PART  2.< 

TERRITORY  BETWEEN  THE  SANTA  ANA  MOUNTAINS  IN  ORANGE  COUNTY,  AND  THE 
SAN  GABRIEL  RIVER  IN  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 

Chapter  1.    Geology  of  the  Puente  Hills 19-38 

Reasons  why  a  detailed  examination  of  the  Puente  Hills  was  made,,l;  Physical 
geography  of  the  Puente  Hills,  2;  Two  orders  of  canons,  3;  Character  of  rocks  in 
Puente  Hills,  4;  Metamorphosed  sedimentary  rocks,  5;  The  unaltered  sedimentary 
rocks  classed  in  three  groups,  6;  The  Sandstone  Group:  petroleum  and  fossils  in,  7; 
The  Shale  Group:  petroleum  and  fossils  in,  8;  The  Conglomerate  Group:  petroleum 
and  fossils  in,  9;  The  geological  structure  in  the  Puente  Hills  is  complex,  10;  Areas 
covered  respectively  by  the  conglomerate,  shale,  and  sandstone  formations,  11 ; 
Geological  formations  on  the  east  side  of  Santa  Ana  River  near  Olive,  12;  Outliers 
of  conglomerate,  13;  Reasons  why  only  leading  features  of  the  structural  geology 
are  shown  on  Fig.  A,  14;  Two  systems  of  folds  in  the  Puente  Hills,  15;  Lines  of 
geological  disturbance  between  Central  oil-wells  and  Brea  Canon,  16;  Line  of  dis- 
turbance marked  AA  traced,  17;  Eastern  extremity  of  fold  AA,  18;  Character  of 
territory  west  of  Puente  oil-wells,  19;  Formations  and  geological  structure  exposed 
in  Puente  Caiion,  20;  Formations  east  of  Puente  oil-wells,  21;  Line  of  disturbance 
marked  BB  described,  22;  Anticlinal  structure  observed  east  of  Station  218,  23; 
Axes  of  folds  AA  and  BB  cannot  be  followed  in  a  straight  line  for  any  great  distance, 
reasons  suggested,  24;  Geological  structure  in  the  west  extremity  of  the  Puente 
Hills,  25;  Strike  of  oil-lines  follows  the  strike  of  the  axes  of  the  folds,  26;  Use  of 
diagrams  showing  cross-sections,  27;  Fig.  2,  cross-section  running  through  west  end 
of  Puente  Hills  described,  28;  Fig.  3,  cross-section  running  N.  20°  E.  from  mouth  of 
Savage  Canon,  29;  Fig.  4,  cross-section  running  N.  20°  E.  from  Station  212  B,  near 
the  Murphy  well,  to  a  point  north  of  the  United  States  Signal  Station  in  Sec.  14, 
T.  2  S.,  R.  11  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  30 ;  Fig.  5,  cross-section  running  N.  20°  E.  through  Puente 
Hills  north  of  La  Habra,  31 ;  Structure  of  Puente  Hills  an  anticlinal  fold  modified 
by  subordinate  folds,  32;  Figs.  4  and  5  compared,  33;  Irregularities  in  dip  and 
strike,  34 ;  Folds  indicated  by  lines  AA  and  BB  cannot  be  regarded  as  extensions 
of  folds  indicated  by  lines  XX  and  ZZ,  35;  Pig.  6,  36;  Fold  ZZ  traced,  37;  Character 
of  rocks  immediately  west  of  Santa  Ana  River  and  south  of  Telegraph  Caiion,  38; 
Character  of  formation  north  of  Telegraph  Cafion,  39;  Carbonne  and  Clapp  canons, 
40;  Bituminous  sandstone  on  the  Chino  ranch,  41;  Gird's  quarry  of  bituminous 
rock,  42;  Geological  structure  on  portions  of  the  Chino  ranch,  43;  Character  of  the 
higher  portions  of  the  Puente  Hills  between  Soquel  Canon  and  Cailada  del  Rodeo,  44 ; 
Reconnaissance  of  the  north  slope  of  the  Puente  Hills  which  lies  west  of  the  town 
of  Chino,  45 ;  Formations  in  the  higher  portions  of  the  Puente  Hills  between  Car- 
bonne  Canon  and  Canada  del  Rodeo,  46;  Reconnaissance  of  that  portion  of  the 
Puente  Hills  which  lies  north  of  the  Puente  oil-wells,  47;  Reconnaissance  of  the 
west  extremity  of  the  Puente  Hills,  48. 


4  CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Chapter  2.    The  Foothills  East  of  the  Santa  Ana  River 38-41 

The  geological  formations  east  of  the  Santa  Ana  River,  1 ;  Cross-section  through 
certain  portions  of  the  foothills  of  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains,  2;  Thickness  of  sand- 
stone formation,  character  of  sandstone,  fossils,  3;  Dark-colored  earthy  shale  said 
to  show  traces  of  petroleum,  4;  Character  of  the  formation  underlying  the  earthy 
shale,  5;  Review  of  geological  features  pertaining  to  the  occurrence  of  petroleum  in 
the  Puente  Hills,  6. 

PART  3. 

LOS  ANGELES  AND  ITS  SUBURBS,  THE  SAN  PEDRO  PENINSULA,  THE  SAN  FERNANDO 
OR  NEWHALL  DISTRICT,  TERRITORY  BETWEEN  NEWPORT  IN  ORANGE 
COUNTY  AND  THE  SAN  DIEGO   COUNTY  LINE,  AND  PROS- 
PECT WELLS  IN  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY. 

Chapter  1.    Geological    Formation   between  Puente  Hills   and  the   Los   Angeles 

Oil-Field 42-44 

Mesa  lands  west  of  San  Gabriel  River  and  the  Rapetto  Hills,  1 ;  Wells  of  the  Arctic 
Oil  Company,  2;  Gas  in  Hellman  well,  3;  Geological  formations  near  Monterey 
Caiion,  4;  Geological  formations  in  East  Los  Angeles,  prospect  wells  drilled  in  East 
Los  Angeles,  5;  Formation  on  west  side  of  Los  Angeles  River,  6;  Most  of  the  rocks 
in  Elysian  Park  and  those  north  of  the  San  Gabriel  branch  of  the  S.  P.  R.  R.  are 
older  than  the  shale  formation,  7;  Fold  in  the  older  rocks,  prospect  wells  north  of 
the  San  Gabriel  branch  of  the  S.  P.  R.  R.,  8. 

Chapter  2.    The  Los  Angeles  Oil-Field,  1897-1899,  inclusive 44-49 

Developments  in  Los  Angeles  oil-field  subsequent  to  the  publication  of  Bulletin 
No.  11,  1;  The  Eastern  Extension  of  the  Los  Angeles  oil-field,  2;  Comparison  of 
formations  penetrated  in  the  Central  field  and  the  Eastern  Extension,  3;  Pos- 
sibilities of  the  extension  of  the  Los  Angeles  oil-fields  discussed,  contour  map  of 
the  Los  Angeles  oil-field,  4;  Stratigraphy  of  the  Central  field,  5;  Stratigraphy  of 
the  Eastern  Extension,  6;  The  course  of  the  contour  lines  shows  the  relation 
between  the  Central  field  and  the  Eastern  Extension,  7 ;  Explanations  suggested 
touching  the  relative  position  of  the  Central  field  and  the  Eastern  Extension  at  Los 
Angeles,  8;  Review  of  geological  features  pertaining  to  the  occurrence  of  petroleum 
at  Los  Angeles,  the  oil-measures  at  Los  Angeles  correspond  to  the  upper  oil- 
measures  in  the  Central  Valley  of  California,  9;  The  stratigraphical  position  and 
the  strike  of  the  oil-sand  at  Los  Angeles,  10. 

Chapter  3.    The  Los  Angeles  Oil-Field,  1899  to  July,  1900 49-53 

Developments  west  of  corner  of  Quebec  and  Miramar  stree+s,  character  of 
geological  formation  and  width  of  oil-line,  1 ;  Character  of  formation  and  width  of 
oil-line  west  of  Alvarado  Street,  2 ;  Character  of  formation  and  width  of  oil-line. 
Sixth  Street  near  Hoover,  3;  Oil-wells  west  of  Vermont  Avenue,  4;  Wells  west  of 
Western  Avenue,  5. 

Chapter  4.    San  Pedro  Peninsula,  Los  Angeles  County 53-56 

Reasons  why  the  San  Pedro  Peninsula  was  investigated,  1 ;  Topography  of  San 
Pedro  Peninsula,  2;  The  rocks  of  the  San  Pedro  Peninsula,  3;  Raised  beaches,  4; 
Geological  disturbance,  5;  Exudations  of  bitumen,  6;  Prospect  wells  drilled  at  San 
Pedro,  7;  Shales  near  San  Pedro  resemble  shales  in  Puente  Hills,  8;  Formation 
north  of  Resort  Point,  well  on  Dos  Palos  Verdes  ranch,  9;  Conclusion  with  regard 
to  the  prospect  of  finding  oil  in  remunerative  quantities  on  the  San  Pedro  Penin- 
sula, 10. 

Chapter  5.    The  San  Fernando  or  Newhall  Mining  District 56-57 

Siluation  and  history  of  San  Fernando  mining  district,  1 ;  The  oil-yielding  forma- 
tions of  the  San  Fernando  mining  district,  2 ;  Non-conformability  in  Elsmere  Canon, 
3;  Petroleum  found  in  crystalline  rock,  4. 


I 


CONTENTS.  O 

Page. 
Chapter  6.    Territory  between  Newport  in   Orange   County  and  the   San   Diego 

County  Line - - -- - 57-61 

Reasons  why  this  territory  was  examined,  1;  Extent  of  territory,  topography, 
two  ridges  of  hills,  2;  Character  of  geological  formations,  conglomerate,  whitish 
sandstone,  and  shale,  3;  Extent  of  shale  formation,  limestone  deposits  near  El 
Toro,  4;  Upper  Neocene  (late  Pliocene)  formations  near  El  Toro,  5;  Sequence  of 
formation  in  northern  ridge  of  these  hills,  6;  The  shale  probably  overlaps  the  under- 
lying formations,  7;  Geology  of  shore-line  between  Laguna  and  Newport  bays,  also 
of  the  north  end  of  the  San  Joaquin  Hills,  eruptive  rocks,  8;  Oil-sand  at  Rocky 
Point,  oil-sand  and  shale  north  of  Newport,  fossils  in  overlying  rocks,  9;  Conclu- 
sions concerning  territory  between  Newport  and  San  Diego  county  line,  10. 

Chapter  7.    Prospect  Wells  in  San  Diego  County 61 

Monarch  Oil  Company's  well,  1;  La  Jolla  Oil  Company's  well,  2;  San  Diego  Oil 
Company's  well,  3;  Carlsbad  (well  near),  4. 

PART  4. 

PRODUCTIVE  AND  PROSPECT  WELLS  IN  LOS  ANGELES  AND  ORANGE  COUNTIES. 
Chapter  l.    Productive  Wells  in  Los  Angeles  County..- - 62-70 

Distribution  of  productive  wells  in  Los  Angeles  County,  1;  Divisions  of  Los 
Angeles  oil-field,  2;  Number,  distribution,  and  product  of  Los  Angeles  oil-wells,  3; 
List  of  oil-producers  in  Los  Angeles  City,  July  1,  1900,  4;  Hercules  Oil  Company's 
wells,  5 ;  Los  Angeles  Oil  and  Transportation  and  Terminal  Company,  6 ;  San  Gabriel 
Electric  Light  Company's  wells,  7 ;  Schmidt  wells,  8 ;  Oil-fields  in  the  Puente  Hills,  9 ; 
The  Whittier  oil-field,  extent  of,  10;  The  Central  Oil  Company's  wells,  11;  Chandler 
wells,  12;  Clarendon  Heights  Oil  Company's  wells,  13;  Fidelity  Oil  Company's 
wells,  14;  Holden  well,  15;  Home  Oil  Company's  wells,  16;  Turner  Oil  Company's 
wells,  17 ;  "Warner  Oil  Company's  wells,  18 ;  Whittier  Crude  Oil  Company's  wells,  19 ; 
The  La  Habra  district,  extent  of,  20;  Union  Oil  Company's  wells,  21;  The  Puente 
district,  extent  of,  22;  The  Puente  Oil  Company,  23;  Kellerman  well,  24;  Pacific 
Coast  Oil  Company's  wells  in  Pico  Caiion,  25;  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's  wells  in 
Elsmere  Canon,  26;  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's  wells  in  Wiley  Caiion,  27;  White 
Oil  Company's  well,  28. 

Chapter  2.     Prospect  and  Unfinished  Wells  in  Los  Angeles  County 70-79 

Brea  Ranch  well,  1;  Davis  well,  2;  Houser  tract  wells,  3;  Ivy  Station  wells,  4; 
John  &  Strong  well,  5;  Keating  wells,  6;  Lewis  well,  7;  Lombard  &Lockhart  wells,  8; 
Mansfield  well,  9;  Mitchell  &  Stilson  wells,  10;  New  Mexico  Development  Com- 
pany, 11;  Pico  Oil  Company's  wells,  12;  Pitcher  &  GarbuttOil  Company's  wells,  13; 
Rhodes  wells,  14 ;  Rodeo  Oil  Company's  wells,  15 ;  Rommel  Oil  Company's  wells,  16 ; 
Rosedale  Cemetery,  wells  at,  17;  Selby  Oil  Company,  18;  Star  Oil  Company's  well,  19; 
Thomas  wells,  Croswell  tract,  20;  Weid  well,  21;  Wicks  and  others'  wells,  22; 
Williams  (The  National  Oil  Company's)  well,  23;  Bland  well,  24;  Par  East  well,  25; 
Headly  well,  26;  Johnston  well,  27;  Reeswell,  28;  Scott  &  Loftus  well,  29;  W' biting 
(Dwight),  and  others'  well,  30 ;  Wilkinson  well,  31 ;  Chino  well  No.  1,  32 ;  Chino  well 
No.  2,  33;  Gird  well  on  Chino  ranch,  34;  Gird  well  on  Brea  Canon  road,  35;  Joyce 
Oil  Company's  well,  36;  Murphy's  Oil  Company's  well,  37;  North  Whittier  Oil 
Company's  well,  38;  Shirley  &  McCray  well,  39;  Whittier  Oil  Company's  wells,  40; 
Alpine  Oil  Company's  well,  41;  Bervelle  &  Bradshaw  well,  42;  California  Oil  Com- 
pany's well,  43;  Commercial  Oil  and  Development  Company's  well,  44;  Eureka 
Crude  Oil  Company's  well,  45;  Good  Luck  Oil  Company's  well,  46;  lola  Oil  Com- 
pany's well,  47;  New  Century  Oil  Company's  well,  48;  Pioneer  White  Oil  Company's 
well,  49;  Rice  Caiion  wells,  50;  Rice  wells,  51;  Townsley  Caiion  wells,  52;  Yankee 
Doodle  Oil  Company's  well,  53;  Zenith  Oil  Company's  well,  54;  Arctic  Oil  Com- 
pany's wells,  55;  Bell  Station  well,  56;  Bluett  &  Mullen  wells,  57;  Castac  well,  58; 
Climax  well,  59;  Hellman  well,  60;  Pacoina  wells,  61;  Rosecrans  wells,  62;  Schuyler 
well,  63;  Sickleworth  well,  64;  Wells  near  Azusa,  65;  Bartelow  well,  66;  Chandler 
well,  67;  Maier  &  Zobelein  well,  68;  Moulton  well,  69. 


6  CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Chapter  3.    Productive  Oil-Wells  in  Orange  County  ..- 79-81 

Fullerton  oil-tield,  extent  of,  1;  Brea  Cafion  Oil  Company's  wells,  2;  Columbia 
Oil  Company's  wells,  3;  Consolidated  Olinda  Oil  Company's  wells,  4;  Fullerton 
Consolidated  Oil  Company's  wells,  5;  Fullerton  Oil  Company's  wells,  6;  Graham  & 
Loftus  wells,  7;  Santa  F(§  Railroad  Company's  wells,  8;  Union  Oil  Company's 
wells,  9. 

Chapter  4.    Prospect  Wells  in  Orange  County 81-82 

Egan  Ranch  wells,  1;  Jensen  Ranch  wells,  2;  Marius  Meyer  well,  3;  Newport  Oil 
Company's  wells,  4;  Orange  County  Oil  Company's  well,  5;  Puente  Crude  Oil  Com- 
pany's well,  6;  San  Joaquin  Ranch  wells,  7;  Santa  Ana  Oil  Company's  well,  8; 
Soquel  Oil  Company's  well,  9. 

PART  5. 

VENTURA  COUNTY. 

Chapter  l.    The  Territory  between  Sespe  and  Piru  Creeks 83-92 

Work  done  during  last  campaign  in  Ventura  County,  1 ;  Object  of  field  work 
recorded  in  this  chapter,  2 ;  Sespe  oil-measures  described  in  Bulletin  11,  3 ;  Territory 
between  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks,  4 ;  Formations  overlying  Sespe  oil-measures,  whitish 
sandstone,  fossils  in,  concretions  in,  petroleum  in,  5;  Shale  formation  overlies 
whitish  sandstone,  resembles  shale  in  Puente  Hills,  petroleum  in,  lowermost  por- 
tion silicious,  physical  appearance  of  shale  formation,  fossils  in,  6;  Conglomerate 
formation,  fossils  in,  7;  Formations  at  base  of  Mount  Cayetana,  Pliocene  fossils,  8; 
Difficulty  of  outlining  contacts,  9;  Structure  between  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks,  folds 
and  cross-folds,  fault  lines,  tilted  blocks,  solfataric  action,  10;  Petroleum  in  forma- 
tions overlying  Eocene  rocks,  11;  Facilities  for  observation  in  Hopper  Cailon,  12; 
Fig.  9  analyzed,  sequence  of  formation  and  geological  structure  shown  in  Fig.  9,  13; 
Fig.  10  analyzed,  14;  Bradley  &  Hutton  well,  old  well  near  mouth  of  Hopper 
Canon,  15;  Geological  horizon  of  silicious  shales,  16;  Points  at  which  the  shale  and 
conglomerate  formations  were  observed,  17 ;  Area  over  which  the  whitish  sandstone 
was  traced,  18 ;  Area  over  which  the  shale  formation  was  traced,  19 ;  Area  over  which 
the  conglomerate  formation  was  traced,  20;  Four  folds  in  three  miles,  21;  Course  of 
folds  AA,  BB,  CC,  DD,  22;  Folds  AA,  BB,  CC,  DD,  inclined  folds,  23;  Structure 
near  Piru  irregular,  24 ;  Fold  A  A  traced,  25;  Fold  BB  traced,  26;  Fold  CC  traced, 
27;  Fold  DD  traced,  28;  Faults  affecting  folds  CC  and  DD,  29;  Formations  north  of 
Modelo  Cafion,  30;  Axis  of  fold  and  oil-sand  in  Narrows  on  Piru  Creek,  31;  Notable 
instance  of  variation  in  geological  structure  (probably  block  tilting),  32. 

Chapter  2.    Recent  Exploitations  of  the  Eocene  Formations  on  Sespe  Creek. 92-95 

The  lowermost  oil-yielding  formation  in  the  Sespe  district,  wells  penetrating  this 
formation,  1;  Wells  on  Razzle  Dazzle  claim,  2;  Wells  of  Henley,  Crawford  &  Co.,  3; 
Oil-claims  on  Sespe  Creek  north  of  the  Devil's  Gate,  4;  General  remarks  on  forma- 
tions between  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks,  5. 

Chapter  3 .    Productive  Oil- Wells  in  Ventura  County 95-99 

The  productive  oil-fields  of  Ventura  County  defined,  1;  Tapo  Canon  wells,  2; 
South  Pacitic  Oil  Company's  wells  in  Eureka  Canon,  3;  Torrey  Canon  wells,  4; 
Bardsdale  wells,  5;  The  South  Pacific  Oil  Company's  wells  on  the  south  slope  of 
Mount  Cayetana,  6;  The  Sespe  district,  7;  Big  Sespe  Oil  Company's  wells,  8; 
Fortuna  Oil  Company's  wells,  9;  Sunset  Oil  Company's  wells,  10;  Piru  Oil  Com- 
pany's wells,  11;  Wells  included  in  the  Ex-Mission  Group,  12;  Adams  Canon  oil- 
wells,  13;  Salt  Marsh  wells,  14;  Wheeler  Canon  wells,  15;  Scott  &  Gilmore  wells,  16; 
Silverthread  district,  17;  Capital  Crude  Oil  Company's  wells,  18;  The-Bard  wells, 
19;  Astarte  wells,  20;  Mark  Jones  wells,  21;  The  Peri  wells,  22. 

Chapter  4.    Prospect  Wells  and  Prospecting  in  Ventura  County 99-101 

Berkeley  Oil  Company,  1;  Bradley  &  Hutton  well,  2;  Calleguas  wells,  3;  Crude 
Oil  Company's  well,  4;  East  Piru  Oil  Company's  well,  5;  Henley,  Crawford  & 
Co.'sweli,  6;  Kellerman  Oil  Company's  well,  7;  Mclntyre  &  Co.'s  well,  8;  Nuevo 


CONTENTS.  7 

Page 
Camulos  Oil  Company's  well,  9;  Piru  Oil  Company's  wells,  10;  Ramona  Oil  Com- 
pany's well,  11;  Santa  Ana  Oil  Company's  well,  12;  Western  Oil  Company's  well,  13; 
Ranch  No.  1,  9  miles  north  of  Ventura  (wells  on),  14;  Santa  Ana  Ranch  well,  15; 
Prospecting  in  Ventura  County,  16;  Anacapa  Island,  17. 

PART  6. 

SANTA  BARBARA  COUNTY. 

Chapter  l.    The   Summerland  Oil-Field  and  Productive  Wells  in  Santa  Barbara 
County - 102-104 

Oil-bearing  territory  in  Santa  Barbara  County,  1 ;  Development  of  Summerland 
oil-field,  2;  Methpd  of  drilling  beneath  the  water,  3;  Character  of  formation  pene- 
trated in  Summerland  oil-field,  4;  Cause  of  irregularity  in  stratification,  probable 
age  of  oil-measures  at  Summerland,  5;  Depth  of  Summerland  wells,  6;  Number  and 
production  of  Summerland  oil-wells,  7;  List  of  oil-producers  in  Summerland  oil- 
field for  the  year  ending  December  31,  1899,  8;  Names  of  owners  of  wharves  and 
length  of  wharves  at  Summerland  in  March,  1900,  9;  The  Occidental  Oil  Company's 
wells,  10. 

Chapter  2.    Prospect  Wells  in  Santa  Barbara  County.. 104-105 

Arctic  Oil  Company's  wells,  1;  Buel  Ranch  well,  2;  Careaga  well,  3;  Casmalia 
well,  4;  Den  Ranch  well,  5;  Heath  well,  6;  Illinois  well,  7;  Robinson  well,  8; 
Santa  Barbara  and  Naples  Oil  and  Land  Company's  wells,  9;  Stevens,  Clark  & 
Duncan  well,  10;  Treadwell  well,  11. 

PART  7. 

THE  SAN  JOAQUIN  VALLEY. 

Chapter  1.     Geological  Sketch. 106-109 

The  San  Joaquin  Valley,  oil-fields  in,  1;  Oil-yielding  formations,  Eocene  and 
Neocene  formations,  character  of  Eocene  rocks,  coal  in,  oil  in,  2;  Topography  of  the 
Central  Valley  of  California  during  the  Eocene  and  Neocene  periods,  3;  Character 
of  Lower  Neocene  formations,  non-conformability  between  Lower  Neocene  and 
Eocene  formations,  fossils  in  Lower  Neocene  rocks,  petroleum  in,  4;  Middle  Neo- 
cene formations,  important  oil-measures  in,  fossils  in,  character  of  Middle  Neocene 
formations  on  eastern  and  western  sides  of  San  Joaquin  Valley,  evidence  of  non- 
conformability  between  Middle  and  Lower  Neocene  formations,  thickness  of  Neo- 
cene formations,  5;  Relation  of  Eocene  and  Neocene  formations,  question  of 
non-conformability  an  important  one,  6;  Neocene  formation  less  disturbed  on 
eastern  side  than  on  western  side  of  San  Joaquin  Valley,  possibility  of  finding  oil- 
fields similar  to  those  of  Kern  River,  where  to  look  for  them,  7. 

Chapter  2.    Petroleum  in  Kern  County 109-110 

Petroleum  in  Kern  County,  1 ;  General  statement  concerning  petroleum  forma- 
tions of  Kern  Countj'  quoted  from  Bulletin  No.  3,  2;  That  petroleum  should  be 
found  in  the  rocks  on  both  sides  of  San  Joaquin  Valley  in  Kern  County  not 
surprising,  3. 

Chapter  3.    Kern  River  Oil-District ...110-116 

Attention  first  drawn  to  this  locality  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  size  and  loca- 
tion of  the  Kern  River  oil-field,  depth  of  wells,  character  of  formation,  table  of 
well  records,  reputed  thickness  of  oil-sand,  yield  of  wells,  character  of  oil-sand, 
means  of  separating  it  from  oil,  gas,  1 ;  Exposed  rocks  in  Kern  River  oil-field, 
Middle  Neocene  formations  resting  on  granite,  dip  and  strike  of  oil-sand,  2;  The 
channel  of  Kern  River,  evidences  of  gradual  erosion,  reasonable  probability  that 
oil-bearing  strata  extend  to  south  side  of  Kern  River,  3;  History  of  Kern  River  oil- 
field, Elwood  discovery  well,  subsequent  developments,  4;  Barker  ranch,  5;  Poso 
and  Cottonwood  creeks,  6;  List  of  operators,  etc.,  7;    Barker  Ranch  Development 


8  CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Company's  wells,  8;  Beaver  Oil  Company's  well,  9;  Rio  Bravo  and  White  Range 
Oil  Company's  well,  10;  Mount  Adelaide  Oil  and  Mining  Company's  well,  11; 
Bachelors  Oil  Company's  well,  12;  Cosmopolitan  Oil  Company's  well,  13;  Defiance 
Mineral  Company's  well,  14;  New  Hope  Oil  Company's  well,  15;  Twenty-two  Oil 
Company's  well,  16;  Vishnu  Oil  Company's  well,  17. 

Chapter  4.    The  Sunset  Oil-District ..117-123 

History  of  Sunset  Oil  District,  1;  Messrs.  Jewett  &  Blodget  drill,  2;  They  refine 
asphaltum,  3;  They  drill  more  wells,  4;  Sunset  oil-district  defined,  5;  Topography 
of  Sunset  oil-district,  6;  Geological  formations  in,  7;  Stratigraphy  and  lithological 
character,  8;  Light-colored  silicious  shale,  9;  Large  content  of  silica,  10;  Light- 
colored  shales  less  disturbed  than  the  formations  on  which  they  rest,  11 ;  They  are 
of  Lower  Neocene  age  and  non-conformable,  12;  Asphaltum  beds  and  animal 
remains  in,  13;  Wells  in,  14;  Brine  springs  in,  15;  Formations  overlying  light-' 
colored  shales,  fossils  in,  16;  Non-conformability  between  light-colored  shales  and 
overlying  formations,  17;  Wells  drilled  by  Messrs.  Jewett  &  Blodget  in  1892-93,  18; 
Wells  drilled  in  August,  1900,  19;  Rocks  associated  with  rocks  of  Middle  Neocene 
age,  20;  Sulphur  deposits,  21 ;  Gypsum  deposits,  22. 

Chapter  5.    Wells  in  Sunset  Oil-District 123-125 

Monarch  Oil  Company,  1;  Jewett  &  Blodget  Oil  Company,  2;  Acme  Oil  Com- 
pany, 3;  Bachelors  Oil  Company,  4;  Barrett  Oil  Company,  5;  Golden  Gate  Oil  Pro- 
ducing Company,  6;  Lion  Oil  Company,  7;  Manhattan  Oil  Company,  8;  Navajo 
Oil  Company,  9;  Pittsburg  Oil  Company,  10;  State  Crude  Oil  Company,  11;  Sunset 
Bakersfield  Crude  Oil  Company,  12;  Sunset  Czar  Oil  Company,  13;  Sunset  King  Oil 
Company,  14;  Sunset  Petroleum  and  Refining  Company,  15;  Sunset  Queen  Oil  Com- 
pany, 16;  Western  Mineral  Oil  Company,  17. 

Chapter  6.    The  McKittrick  District 125-129 

Territory  between  Sunset  and  McKittrick  districts,  1 ;  McKittrick  district  defined, 
topography  of,  2;  History  of  McKittrick  district,  original  locators,  Buena  Vista 
Petroleum  Company  erect  a  refinery.  Blodget  &  Weil  drill,  Hambleton  and  others 
drill,  railroad  built.  Standard  Asphalt  Company  erects  a  refinery,  asphaltum  mines 
discovered,  refinery  burned,  new  one  built,  Buena  Vista  Oil  Company  drills.  Melton 
McWhorter  erects  a  refinery,  McWhorter  and  others  drill,  Treadwell  drills,  number 
of  producing  wells  in  July,  1900,  3;  Geological  formations,  silicious  shales,  diato- 
maceous  rocks,  bituminous  rocks,  saline  rocks,  fossils,  geologic  age,  dip,  strike,  4; 
Productive  oil-yielding  formations,  yield,  gravity  of  oil,  5;  Formation  in  western 
portion  of  field,  fragments  of  silicious  shale  in  bituminous  strata,  6;  Thermal 
spring,  superficial  asphaltum  deposits,  character  of  asphaltum,  7;  Asphaltum 
mines,  character  of  veins  and  enclosing  rocks,  fresh-water  shells,  8;  The  Temblor 
field,  productive  wells,  gravity  of  oil,  9. 

Chapter  7.    Wells  in  McKittrick  District 129-131 

California  Standard  Oil  Company's  well,  1;  Climax  Oil  Company's  wells,  2;  El 
Dorado  Oil  Company's  well,  3;  Giant  Oil  Company's  wells,  4;  Kern  River  Oil  Com- 
pany's wells,  5;  San  Francisco  McKittrick  Oil  Company's  well,  6;  Shamrock  Oil 
Company's  wells,  7;  Treadwell  Oil  Company's  wells,  8;  Climax  Oil  Company's 
wells,  9;  Bay  City  Oil  Company's  well,  10;  El  Modelo  Oil  Company's  well,  11; 
Hartford  Oil  Company's  well,  12;  National  Oil  Company's  wells,  13;  Pacific 
Consolidated  Oil  Company's  well,  14;  Sloan  Oil  Company's  well,  15;  Virginia  Oil 
Company's  well,  16 ;  Diamond  Oil  Company's  well,  17;  Eureka  Oil  and  Development 
Company's  well,  18;  Gould  &  Center  Company's  well,  19;  Jameson  well,  20;  Nevada 
Oil  Company's  well,  21;  Sunrise  Oil  and  Development  Company's  well,  22. 

Chapter  8.    Devil's  Den  District 131-132 

The  Devil's  Den  district  defined,  1 ;  Geological  formation,  2 ;  Devil's  Den  Develop- 
ment Company's  well,  3 ;  Imperial  Oil  and  Development  Company's  well,  4 ;  Raven's 
Pass  Oil  Company's  well,  5;  Spreckels  well,  6. 


CONTENTS.  9 

Page. 

Chapter  9.    Kreyenhagen  District.. --.132-136 

Kreyenhagen  district  defined,  1 ;  Avenal  oil-field,  2;  Kettleman  Hills,  3;  Fresh- 
water formations,  4;  Kreyenhagen  ranch,  5;  Number  of  wells  drilled,  6;  Black 
Mountain  Oil  Company's  well,  7 ;  Kreyenhagen  Oil  Company's  wells,  8 ;  Avenal  Land 
and  Oil  Company's  wells,  9;  Baby  King  Oil  Company's  well,  10;  Consolidated  Oil 
and  Development  Company's  wells,  11 ;  Kings  County  Oil  Company's  wells,  12 ;  St. 
Lawrence  Oil  Company's  well,  13;  Esperanza  Oil  Company's  wells,  14;  Florence 
Oil  Company's  wells,  15;  Gibbs  Oil  Company's  well,  16;  Iowa  Oil  Company's  well, 
17;  Oceanic  Oil  Company's  well,  18;  Stanislaus  Oil  Company's  well,  19;  Stockton 
Oil  Company's  well,  20. 

Chapter  lO.    The  Coalinga  District.-. 136-142 

Coalinga  district  defined,  1;  The  Oil  City  field,  geological  formations  in,  2; 
History  of  Oil  City  field,  first  well,  Rowland  &  Lacy  drill,  wells  in  1893,  Producers 
and  Consumers  Oil  Company  drill,  Chanselor  &  Canfield  drill,  exploitations  of 
Middle  Neocene  formations,  3 ;  Water-supply,  4 ;  Output  of  petroleum  for  1899,  5 ; 
The  Alcalde  field,  geological  formations  in,  6;  Coalinga  Oil  Company's  wells,  7; 
Home  Oil  Company's  wells,  8;  Independence  Oil  Company's  wells,  9;  Oil  City 
Petroleum  Company's  well,  10;  Phoenix  Oil  Company's  wells,  11;  Twenty-eight 
Oil  Company's  well,  12;  ^Etna  Oil  Company's  well,  13;  Blue  Goose  Oil  Company's 
well,  14;  Bonanza  King  Oil  Company's  well,  15;  California  Oil  and  Gas  Company's 
well,  16;  Caribou  Oil  Company's  well,  17;  Carmelita  Oil  Company's  well,  18;  Con- 
fidence Oil  Company's  well,  19 ;  Crescent  Oil  Company's  well,  20 ;  Elk  Oil  Company's 
well,  21;  Great  Western  Oil  Company's  well,  22;  Independent  Oil  Company's  well, 
23;  Investment  Oil  Company's  well,  24;  Minnesota  Oil  Company's  well,  25;  Mont- 
jack  Oil  Company's  well,  26;  Mutual  Oil  Company's  well,  27;  New  York  Oil  Com- 
pany's well,  28 ;  Old  Keystone  Oil  Company's  well,  29 ;  Rock  Oil  Company's  well,  30 ; 
Santa  Clara  Oil  Company's  well,  31;  Selma  Oil  Company's  well,  32;  Wisconsin  Oil 
Company's  well,  33;  Badger  State  Oil  Company's  well,  34;  Hawkeye  State  Oil 
Company's  wells,  35;  May  Brothers' well,  36;  Rommel  &  Westlake  Oil  Company's 
well,  37;  Star  Oil  Company's  well,  38;  Sunnyside  Oil  Company's  well,  39;  Wright 
Association's  well,  40 ;  Venus  Oil  Company's  well,  41 ;  Wale  Oil  Company's  well,  42. 

PART  8. 

MONTEREY.  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO.  AND  SAN  BENITO  COUNTIES. 

Chapter  l.    Monterey   County.      Geological    Description,   by   H.    W.   Fairbanks, 
Ph.D - 143-146 

Formations  similar  to  those  of  San  Luis  Obispo  County,  formations  between 
Santa  Lucia  Range  and  Salinas  River,  flinty  shales,  oil-producing  rocks  extensive, 
oil  preserved  in  San  Pablo  formation,  wells  drilled  in,  flinty  shales  doomed  to  be 
dry,  1 ;  The  Parkfield  district,  by  W.  L.  Watts ;  district  defined,  the  Little  Cholame, 
geological  formations  in,  fossils  of  Middle  Neocene  age,  sedimentary  rocks  in  con- 
tact with  metarnorphic,  seepages  of  petroleum,  2;  Cholame  Oil  and  Development 
Company's  wells,  3;  Parkfield  Oil  Company's  well,  4;  Waverly  Oil  Company's  well, 
5;  The  San  Ardo  district,  6;  Tomboy  Oil  and  Development  Company's  well,  7;  San 
Antonio  Oil  Company's  well,  8;  San  Ardo  Consolidated  Oil  Company's  well,  9. 

Chapter  2.     San  Luis  Obispo  County.    The  Oil-Yielding  Formations,  by  H.  W.  Fair- 
banks, Ph.D 146-148 

Numerous  oil-springs,  source  of  the  oil,  the  Monterey  series,  distillation  of  oil 
from  organic  matter,  preservation  in  porous  rocks,  two  belts  of  oil-yielding  forma- 
tions, best  place  to  drill  for  oil,  the  San  Pablo  formation,  prospect  wells  poorly 
located,  indications  favorable  in  northern  portion  of  the  county,  I ;  Several  prospect 
wells  drilled  during  past  twelve  years,  2 ;  Huasna  Development  Company's  wells,  3 ; 
San  Luis  Obispo  Company's  well,  4;  Union  Oil  Company's  wells,  5. 


10  CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Chapter  3.    San  Benito  County 148-150 

Distribution  of  oil-yielding  formations,  1;  Big  Panoche  district,  2;  Ashurst 
Oil  Company's  well,  3;  Dewey  Oil  Company,  4;  Dos  Palos  Oil  Company's  well,  5; 
Esmeralda  Oil  and  Development  Company's  wells,  6;  Fresno  Aljjha  Oil  Company's 
well,  7;  Hamiltonian  Oil  Company's  well,  8;  Ingomar  Oil  Company's  well,  9; 
McCoy  Oil  Company's  well,  10;  Olympia  Oil  Company's  well,  11;  San  Benito  Oil 
Company's  well,  12 ;  San  Carlos  Oil  Company's  well,  13 ;  Santa  Maria  Oil  Company's 
well,  14;  Silver  Creek  Oil  Company's  well,  15;  Union  Oil  Company's  wells,  16;  The 
Little  Panoche  district  defined,  17;  Big  Panoche  Company's  well,  18;  Old  Glory  Oil 
Company's  well,  19;  Pacific  Oil  Development  Company's  well,  20;  Panichito  Oil 
Company's  well,  21;  World  Oil  Company's  well,  22;  HoUister  district  defined,  23; 
HoUister  Crude  Oil  Company's  well,  24 ;  Nonpareil  Consolidated  Company's  well,  25 ; 
San  Benito  Oil  Company's  well,  26. 

PART  9. 
ALAMEDA,  SANTA  CLARA,  SAN  MATEO,  AND  CONTRA  COSTA  COUNTIES. 

Chapter  l.    Alameda  County 151 

Oil  prospecting  in,  1;  Alameda  Oil  Company's  well,  2. 

Chapter  2.    Santa  Clara  County 151-154 

Petroleum  mining  in,  Sargent's  ranch,  McPherson  enterprises,  1;  Geological  for- 
mations on  Sargent's  ranch,  2;  Output  of  petroleum,  8;  Golden  Gate  Oil  and 
Development  Company's  wells,  4;  Watsonville  Oil  Company's  wells,  5;  Alma  Oil 
Company's  wells,  6 ;  Gilroy  Oil  and  Development  Company's  wells,  7 ;  Kreyenhagen 
Oil  and  Development  Company,  8;  Main  Estate,  9. 

Chapter  3.    San  Mateo  County 154-156 

History  of  petroleum  mining  in,  1 ;  Paraffin  Oil  Company's  wells,  2;  Half  Moon 
Bay  (wells  near),  3;  McNee  wells,  4. 

Chapter  4.    Contra  Costa  County 156-157 

History  of  petroleum  mining  in,  1 ;  American  Oil  and  PLcfinery  Company's  well,  2 ; 
Contra  Costa  Oil  and  Development  Company,  3;  Grand  Pacific  Oil  Company,  4; 
McCamley  ranch,  prospect  wells  on,  5;  Mount  Diablo  Oil  Company,  6;  Point  Rich- 
mond Oil  Company's  wells,  7;  San  Pablo  Oil  Company's  well,  8;  Sobrante  Oil  and 
Investment  Company,  9;  Tidewater  Oil  and  Development  Company's  well,  10. 

PART  10. 
MENDOCINO,  COLUSA,  HUMBOLDT,  AND   NAPA   COUNTIES. 

Chapter  1.    Mendocino  County -.- 158 

Oil-yielding  formations  at  Point  Arena,  1 ;  Watson  Oil  Company's  wells,  2;  The 
White  Lumber  Company's  wells,  3. 

Chapter  2.    Colusa  County 159-161 

The  existence  of  petroleum  in  Colusa  County  known  for  many  years,  inflam- 
mable gas,  1 ;  Reconnaissance  in  Bear  Creek,  evidences  of  petroleum  and  character 
of  formation  on  Bear  Creek,  2;  Cretaceous  fossils,  serpentine,  structure  of  rocks,  3; 
Spring  of  mineral  water  and  traces  of  petroleum,  specimens  of  Aucella,  4;  Oil- 
springs  in  Sec.  27,  T.  14  N.,  R.  5  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  5;  Oil-well  sunk  many  years  ago,  6; 
Inflammable  gas  in  creek,  workings  of  T.  P.  Rathburn,  character  of  petroleum, 
signs  of  asphaltum,  7;  Heron  Oil  Company's  well,  8;  Gorrell  &  Smith  Oil  Company's 
well,  9. 

Chapter  3.    Humboldt  County.    By  F.  M.  Anderson 161-166 

Historical  sketch,  early  attempts,  renewal  of  efforts,  present  work,  1;  The  Mack- 
intosh well,  2;  The  Craig  well,  3;  The  Humboldt  Oil  Company,  4;  Other  com- 
panies, 5;  Extent  of  oil-lands,  geological  character  of ,  6;   Structural  features  of,  7; 


CONTENTS.  11 

Page. 

The  Mattole  Valley,  fault  lines,  8 ;  Evidences  of  petroleum,  seepages,  gas  springs, 
wells,  etc.,  9;  Character  of  oil,  specific  gravity,  analysis,  10;  Promise  of  district, 
unsuccessful  work,  expert  opinion,  location  of  wells,  favorable  features,  11. 

Chapter  4.    Napa  County - 166 

Mount  Shasta  Oil  and  Development  Company,  oil-spring,  analysis  of  oil,  Harris 
Canon,  oil  in  qufcksilver  mine  at  Knoxville,  1. 

PART  11. 

PIPE  LINES  AND  REFINERIES. 

Chapter  1.    Pipe-Lines 167-171 

Water-tables  do  not  apply  to  transmission  of  oil,  1;  Central  Oil  Company's 
pipe-line,  2;  Oil  City  pipe-line,  3;  Puente  Oil  Company's  pipe-line,  4;  Pacific  Coast 
Oil  Company's  pipe-lines,  5;  Sunset  Oil  Company's  pipe-lines,  6;  Union  Oil  Com- 
pany's pipe-lines,  7;  Union  Oil  Company's  pipe-line  at  Los  Angeles,  8;  Alcatraz 
Oil  Company's  pipe-line,  9 ;  Modelo  Oil  Company's  pipe-line,  10 ;  Table  showing  rate 
of  discharge  of  oil  through  pipe-lines,  11. 

Chapter  2.    Petroleum  Refineries -.- 171-172 

American  Oil  and  Asphalt  ('ompany,  1 ;  Asphaltum  Oil  and  Refining  Company,  2 ; 
Franklin  Refining  Company,  3;  Jewett  &  Blodget  Refinery,  4;  Paraffin  Paint  Com- 
pany, 5;  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company,  6;  Puente  Oil  Company,  7;  Southern  Refining 
Company,  8;  Sunset  Oil  Refining  Company,  9;  Union  Oil  Company,  10. 

PART  12. 

SUMMARY  OF  OIL- YIELDING  FORMATIONS,  CHARACTER  OF  CALIFORNIA  PETRO- 
LEUM, AND  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  OIL  MINING  IN  CALIFORNIA. 

Chapter  1.    Geographical   and   Geological   Range  of   Oil- Yielding  Formations  in 
California 173-177 

Nearly  all  producing  fields  south  of  17th  township  line,  M.  D.  M.,  productive 
areas  traced,  1 ;  Great  extent  of  oil-yielding  formations,  oil-yielding  formations  not 
always  productive,  2;  Range  of  oil-yielding  formations  shown  between  Sespe  and 
Piru  creeks.  Middle  Neocene  formations,  conglomerate  and  shale,  thickness  of 
Middle  Neocene  formations,  3;  Middle  Neocene  formations  in  Elsmere  Canon,  4; 
Middle  Neocene  formations  in  the  Puente  Hills,  Summerland  oil-measures  probably 
of  Middle  Neocene  age,  5;  Middle  Neocene  formations  in  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley,  6;  Gravity  of  oil  in  Middle  Neocene  formations,  7;  Formations  underlying 
Middle  Neocene  series,  silicious  shale,  whitish  sandstone,  8;  Whitish  sandstone  in 
Piru  and  Santiago  canons  compared,  9;  Eocene  formations  underlying  whitish 
sandstone,  10;  Formations  in  the  Devil's  Gate  mining  district,  11;  Oil-yielding 
formation  at  Oil  City  of  Eocene  age,  12;  Lower  Neocene  formations  rest  non-con- 
formably  on  the  Eocene,  Middle  Neocene  formations  rest  non-conformably  on,  or 
overlap  the  Lower  Neocene,  13. 

Chapter  2.    Neocene    and  More  Recent    Formations  in  Portions  of   Orange  and 
Los  Angeles  Counties _ _ 177-181 

Neocene  formations  near  the  mouth  of  Santiago  Canon,  cretaceous  and  crystal- 
line rocks  at  the  head  of  Santiago  Cailon,  1;  Cretaceous  and  Eocene  fossils,  2; 
Lower  Neocene  fossils,  3;  Whitish  sandstone  formation  similar  to  that  noted  in 
Ventura  County  and  in  other  portions  of  Orange  County,  4;  Shale  formation, 
whitish  shale,  whitish  shale  in  other  portions  of  Orange  County,  clay-shale  over- 
lying whitish  shale,  clay-shale  of  Middle  Neocene  age,  5;  Probably  non-conformity 
between  shales  and  underlying  sandstone,  6;  Conglomerate  formation,  7;  Upper 
Neocene  formation  in  Orange  County,  8;  Quaternary  formations  in  Orange  County, 
9;  Volcanic  disturbance  since  deposition  of  shale  formation,  10;  Bedrock  of  valley 
lands,  11. 


12  CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Chapter  3.    Recapitulation 181-184 

Geological  distribution  of  petroleum  in  California,  the  Middle  Neocene  horizons,  1 ; 
Four  oil-yielding  horizons  on  north  side  of  valley  of  Santa  Clara  River,  2;  Oil- 
yielding  formations  of  Summerland,  Kern  River,  Sunset,  McKittrick,  and  a  por- 
tion of  the  Coalinga  oil-fields  of  Middle  Neocene  age,  3;  Oil-yielding  formations  of 
Panoche  and  Cholame  valleys  of  Middle  Neocene  age,  4;  Oil-yielding  formations  o^ 
Tunitas  and  Purissima  creeks  of  Eocene  age,  5 ;  Oil-yielding  formations  on  coast- 
line north  of  San  Francisco,  geological  horizons  not  determined,  6;  Natural  gas  in 
Central  Valley  in  both  Quaternary  and  older  formations,  7;  Probably  many  unex- 
plored oil-fields  in  California,  8 ;  Probable  origin  of  petroleum  deposits,  9;  Table 
showing  geological  horizon  of  oil-yielding  formations,  10. 

Chapter  4.    Geological  Structure  Pertaining  to  the  Occurrence  of  Petroleum  in 
California 185-201 

Two  phases  of  geological  research,  1;' Folded  strata  of  the  Coast  Ranges,  minor 
folds  important  to  oil-miners,  2;  Types  of  folds,  the  upright  fold,  the  inclined  fold, 
the  overturned  fold,  3;  Wells  on  an  overturned  fold,  4;  Fan-shaped  folds,  5;  Folds 
met  with  in  the  Coast  Ranges,  6;  Depth  to  which  strata  are  affected  by  folds,  7; 
Probable  results  of  great  compression,  8;  Ideal  section  of  oil-field,  9;  Hints  to 
prospectors,  10;  Faults  occasion  oil-lines,  11;  Figs.  22  and  23  explained,  12;  Faults 
and  folds,  13;  Cross-folds,  14;  Knowledge  of  structural  geology  essential,  15;  Folds 
and  faults  not  confined  to  hills  and  mountains,  16;  Financial  risks  of  prospecting 
vary  greatly,  risks  classified,  17;  Character  of  risk  should  be  ascertained  before 
investment  is  made,  18;  Character  of  oil-measures  in  California,  limitations  of  oil- 
lines,  19;  Knowledge  of  dip  and  strike  of  oil-sands  essential,  20;  Method  of  deter- 
mining the  dip  of  an  exposed  stratum,  21;  Method  of  determining  strike  of  oil- 
sands  when  not  exposed,  22;  Method  of  determining  dip  of  oil-sand  when  not 
exposed,  23;  Value  of  knowledge  as  to  dip  of  oil-sand  stratum,  24;  Methods  which 
lessen  the  risk  of  oil-mining,  25;  Conditions  governing  the  depths  of  wells,  26;  Life 
of  wells,  27;  Cost  of  drilling,  28;  Favorable  locations  for  prospect  wells,  29. 

Chapter  5.    The  Character  of  California  Petroleum,  Fuel  Value,  etc 201-215 

Origin  of  petroleum,  three  hypotheses,  1;  Nearly  all  the  oil  in  California  has  an 
asphaltic  base,  2;  Distillates  of  Colusa  County  oil  and  Los  Angeles  County  oil  com- 
pared, analysis  of  oil  from  Kern  River  field,  3;  Ultimate  analyses  of  California  oil 
and  that  of  Eastern  States  compared,  4;  Examination  of  California  oil  by  Dr.  F. 
Salathe,  5;  Examinations  of  California  oils  byC.  P.  Williams,  6;  Uses  of  California 
oil,  7;  California  oil  contains  more  carbon  than  Eastern  oil,  8;  Additional  uses 
for  California  petroleum,  9 ;  Calorimetric  experiments  on  California  petroleum, 
table  showing  comparative  fuel  value  of  California  petroleum  and  coal,  10;  The 
gasoline  cut,  calorific  value  of  sludge,  11;  Tests  on  coal  and  oil  at  Los  Angeles,  12; 
B.  H.  Denicke  on  fuel  value  of  petroleum,  13;  A.  S.  Cooper  on  fuel  value  of 
petroleum,  14;  A.  M.  Hunt  on  fuel  value  of  petroleum,  15;  Natural  gas  in  Cali- 
fornia, fuel  value  of,  16. 

Chapter  6.    Review  of  the  Petroleum  Industry  in  California 215-217 

Early  history,  1;  First  scientific  report,  2;  First  oil  excitement  in  California,  3; 
Pioneer  distillers  of  petroleum,  4;  Recent  history,  5;  First  report  on  petroleum  by 
the  State  Mining  Bureau,  6;  Number  of  producing  companies  in  July,  1900,  7;  The 
first  successful  refinery,  refineries  now  in  operation,  8;  Tables  showing  growth  of 
petroleum  industry  in  California,  9. 

TABLES  OF  FOSSILS  REFERRED  TO  IN  THIS  BULLETIN 218-224 

ATLAS  OF  GEOLOGICAL  SKETCH-MAPS. 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


I. 

FRONTISPIECE,  CROSS-SECTIONS,  AND  DIAGRAMS. 

Page. 
Fig.      1.     Geological  relief  map  of  Puente  Hills Frontispiece 

2.  Cross-section  through  west  end  of  Puente  Hills 27 

3.  Cross-section  running  N.  20°  E.  from  Station  153  A,  Puente  Hills 27 

4.  Cross-section  running  N.  20°  E.  from  Station  212  B,  Puente  Hills 27 

5.  Cross-section  between  Station  261A  and  Station  236 32 

6.  Cross-section  through  fold  XX,  Puente  Hills 32 

7.  Cross-section  through  foothills,  south  side  of  Santa  Ana  River,  Orange 

Countj' 32 

8.  Cross-section   showing    non-conformability    in    Elsmere    Canon,    Los 

Angeles  County 57 

9.  Cross-section  between  Station  200,  northeast  of  Buckhorn  and  Fortuna 

wells,  Ventura  County 87 

10.  Cross-section  between    Hutton    Peak    and    Hopper    Caiion,    Ventura 

County 87 

11.  Cross-section  running  N.  10°  W.  from  railroad  bridge  at  Piru  to  N.  Piru 

Peak,  Ventura  County ...   87 

12.  Cross-section  showing  approximately  the  maximum  thickness  of  light- 

colored  shales  exposed  in  Sunset  district,  Kern  County 119 

13.  Cross-section  of   Middle  Neocene    strata    in  Kettleman  Hills,   Kings 

County 119 

14.  Cross-section  through  Oil  City  field,  Fresno  County 119 

15.  Upright  fold 186 

16.  Inclined  fold  ;  Overturned  fold 186 

17.  Wells  on  inclined  fold ;  Wells  on  overturned  fold 186 

18.  Fan-shaped  fold 187 

19.  Ideal  section  of  oil-field  on  anticlinal  fold ;  oil-line  developed  on  one 

limb  of  fold 188 

20.  Ideal  section  of  oil-field  on  anticlinal  fold ;  oil-line  developed  on  both 

sides  of  fold I88 

21.  Ideal  section  of  oil-field 'on  anticlinal  fold;  one  limb  of  fold  broken  by 

faults 191 

22.  Section  showing  strata  inclosing  oil-sand  stratum. 191 

23.  Oil-lines  formed  by  faulting 191 

24.  Diagram  illustrating  method  of  determining  dip  of  exposed  strata 195 

25.  Diagram  illustrating  method  of  determining  strike  of  oil-sand  stratum.  196 

26.  Diagram  illustrating  method  of  determining  dip  of  oil-sand  stratum...  198 

II. 

PHOTOGRAPHS. 

Facing  Page. 

Photo     1.     Overturned  fold  in  Puente  Hills,  Los  Angeles  County 22 

2.  Crushed  sandstone  in  Puente  Hills,  Los  Angeles  County 22 

3.  Central  oil-wells,  Los  Angeles  County 24 

4.  Oil-wells  in  Brea  Caiion,  Orange  County 24 

5.  Santa  F6  oil-wells,  FuUerton  oil-field.  Orange  County.    (Photo  taken  in 

1898.) '. 32 

6.  View  in  Eastern  oil-field.  City  of  Los  Angeles 32 

7.  Central  oil-field,  City  of  Los  Angeles 44 

8.  Eastern  oil-field.  City  of  Los  Angeles 44 


14  LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Facing  Page. 
Photo      9.    Puente  Hills  from  the  south  fork  of   the    San   Gabriel  Valley,    Los 

Angeles  County 52 

10.  Cliff  of  shale,  San  Pedro  Peninsula,  Los  Angeles  County 52 

11.  Bituminous  sandstone,  Point  Fermin,  San  Pedro  Peninsula,  Los  Angeles 

County    - 54 

12.  Wave-cut  terraces,  San  Pedro  Peninsula,  Los  Angeles  County 54 

13.  Sandstone  formation  on  shore-line,  Orange  Coiinty 58 

14.  Conglomerate  resting  non-conformably  on  sandstone,  San  Juan  Capis- 

trano.  Orange  Countj'-.. ._ 58 

15.  Concretion  from  whitish  sandstone  formation,  Piru,  Ventura  County  ..    82 

16.  Broken  concretion  from  whitish  sandstone  formation,  Piru,  Ventura 

County 82 

17.  Silicious  shale,  Hopper  Canon,  Ventura  County 84 

18.  Clay-shale,  Hopper  Canon,  Ventura  County 84 

19.  Rocks  bleached  by  gas  outburst  in  clay-shale  formation,  east  of  Fill- 

more, Ventura  County  . . - 86 

20.  Piru  Peak,  from  Piru  Caiion,  Ventura  County 86 

21.  View  looking  west  from  Modelo  Peak,  Ventura  County,  showing  rela- 

tion of  Neocene  shale  to  whitish  sandstone  formation 88 

22.  View  looking  northwest  from  Piru  Peak,  Ventura  County,  showing  rela- 

tion of  Neocene  shales  to  whitish  sandstone  formation ...     88 

23.  Concretionarj'  strata  in  whitish  sandstone  formation,  Piru,  Ventura 

County 90 

24.  Overturned  fold,  Modelo  Cafion,  near  Piru,  Ventura  County 90 

25.  Modelo  oil-wells,  Ventura  County.    (Photo  taken  in  1898.) 104 

26.  View  on  shore-line,  Summerland  oil-tield,  Santa  Barbara  County 104 

27.  Sespe  brownstone  and  underlying  formations,  looking  southeast,  from 

Tar  Hole,  Sespe  Cafion,  Ventura  County 110 

28.  Kern  River  oil-tield,  from  the  south  bank  of  Kern  River,  Kern  County.  110 

29.  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's  wells,  Pico  Cafion,  Los  Angeles  County ...  116 

30.  Sunset  oil-field,  Kern  County 116 

31.  McKittrick  oil-held,  Kern  County 136 

32.  Oil  City,  Fresno  County 136 

33.  Fold  in  Modelo  Cafion,  Ventura  County _ 184 

34.  Inclined  fold,  Temescal  ranch,  Ventura  County 184 

35.  Overturned  fold,  San  Pedro  Peninsula,  Los  Angeles  County 188 

III. 

ATLAS  OF  GEOLOGICAL  SKETCH-MAPS. 

Fig.    A.  Geological  sketch-map  of  territory  between  Los  Angeles  and  Santa  Ana 
River. 

B.  Geological  sketch-map  of  a  portion  of  foothills  of  Santa  Ana  Mountains. 

C.  Geological  sketch-map  of  Los  Angeles  oil-field. 

D.  Geological  sketch-map  (No.  2)  of  Los  Angeles  oil-field. 

E.  Geological  sketch-map  of  Peninsula  of  San  Pedro. 

F.  Geological  sketch-map,  southeast  portion  of  Orange  County. 

G.  Geological  sketch-map  of  territory  between  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks,  Ven- 

tura County. 
H.    Geological  sketch-map  of  Devil's  Gate  oil-district,  Ventura  County. 
I.    Sketch-map  of  Summerland,  showing  oil-wells  and  wharves. 
J.    Map  of  a  portion  of  Kern  County,  showing  location  of  McKittrick,  Sunset, 

and  Kern  River  oil-districts. 
K.    Map  of  the  Sunset  oil-district,  Kern  County. 
L.    Geological  sketch-mai?  of  Coalinga  oil-district,  Fresno  County. 
M.     Map  of  a  portion  of  California,  showing  location  of  oil-districts. 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


California  State  Mining  Bureau, 
October  31,  1900. 

To  His  Excellency  Henry  T.  Gage,  Governor  of  the  State  of  California; 
The  Honorable  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  State  Mining 
Bureau;  and  Hon.  A.  S.  Cooper,  State  Mineralogist: 

Gentlemen:  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  to  you  Bulletin  No.  19, 
entitled  "The  Oil  and  Gas  Yielding  Formations  of  California." 

The  matters  treated  in  this  Bulletin  are  descriptions:  (1)  of  certain 
territory  extending  westward  from  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains  in  Orange 
County,  to  the  City  of  Los  Angeles,  including  the  Puente  Hills  and  the 
oil-fields  situated  therein;  (2)  of  the  Los  Angeles  oil-fields;  (3)  of 
certain  territory  extending  westward  along  the  coast-line  between  San 
Diego  County  and  Newport  in  Orange  County,  and  northward,  inland, 
for  a  distance  of  about  ten  miles;  (4)  of  the  peninsula  of  San  Pedro; 
and  (5)  of  certain  territory  in  Ventura  County  extending  eastward  from 
the  Sespe  Creek  to  the  Piru  Creek  in  the  mountains  north  of  the  valley 
of  the  Santa  Clara  River. 

A  brief  description  is  given  of  recent  developments  at  Summerland 
in  Santa  Barbara  County,  and  of  the  oil-fields  in  the  foothills  of  the 
Central  Valley  of  California,  which  have  attracted  so  much  attention. 
A  chapter  by  Mr.  F.  M.  Anderson  on  the  oil-fields  of  Humboldt  County, 
and  remarks  by  H.  S.  Fairbanks,  Ph.D.,  on  the  oil-yielding  formations 
of  San  Luis  Obispo  and  Monterey  counties,  are  also  included. 

The  geological  facts  which  I  mention,  concerning  the  Kern  River,  the 
Sunset,  and  the  Coalinga  districts,  are  largely  quotations  from  Bulletin 
No.  3,  now  out  of  print,  for  which  there  is  a  great  demand.  In  addition 
to  the  above,  I  have  written  chapters  on  the  structural  conditions 
pertaining  to  the  occurrence  of  petroleum,  and  the  geographical  and 
geological  distribution  of  this  mineral  in  California.  I  have  also  added 
a  summary  of  available  data  concerning  the  character  and  fuel  value  of 
California  petroleum,  also  a  chapter  on  the  descriptive  geology  pertain- 
ing to  the  occurrence  of  petroleum  in  the  territory  I  have  investigated. 
Under  the  head  of  productive  wells,  I  have  mentioned  only  such  wells 
as  were  productive  when  the  locality  in  which  they  are  situated  was 
visited. 


16  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

The  records  given  of  fractional  distillation  of  California  petroleum 
are  from  experiments  made  by  the  late  Dr.  W.  D.  Johnston,  formerly 
chemist  to  the  California  State  Mining  Bureau,  and  by  myself. 

The  palseontological  determinations  shown  in  the  tables  at  the  end  of 
this  volume  were  made  by  Dr.  J.  C.  Merriam  of  the  State  University  of 
California;  and  the  palseontological  matter  quoted  from  Bulletin  No.  3 
is  based  on  determinations  made  by  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper  of  Haywards. 

Since  the  beginning  of  1897,  I  have  been  stationed  principally  in 
Southern  California.  A  large  portion  of  my  time  has  been  devoted  to 
answering  questions  and  attending  to  correspondence  concerning  not 
only  petroleum,  but  also  other  minerals.  This  class  of  work  has  been 
especially  onerous  during  the  petroleum  excitement  of  the  past  two 
years.  I  have  also  collected  and  compiled  the  annual  statistics  of 
petroleum  and  of  several  other  mineral  products  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  State. 

Since  my  appointment,  in  1899,  as  State  Expert  in  California  Min- 
•ing,  I  have  had  charge  of  all  the  field-work  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau 
prescribed  under  Chapter  XCV,  Statutes  of  California,  1899.  Further- 
more, in  order  that  there  might  be  no  delay  in  placing  before  the  public 
the  information  obtained,  I  delivered  lectures  and  compiled  maps,  giv- 
ing such  facts  concerning  the  oil-yielding  districts  as  my  investigations 
warranted.  By  these  means,  many  of  the  facts  set  forth  in  this  Bulletin 
found  their  way  into  the  public  press.  Although  the  greater  portion 
of  this  report  might  have  been  printed  somewhat  earlier,  I  considered 
it  advisable  to  complete  the  work  already  in  hand,  and  bring  the 
statistical  portion  as  nearly  as  possible  up  to  date  before  offering  my 
report  for  publication. 

Allow  me  to  take  this  opportunity  of  returning  thanks  to  the  numerous 

gentlemen  who  have   aided   me  in  my  work;  also  to  the  Academy  of 

Sciences  of  San  Francisco,  California,  and  the  Los  Angeles  Chamber  of 

Commerce,  for  courteous  assistance  in  the  matter  of  office  room.     Permit 

me  also  to  thank  the  Puente  Oil  Company,  the  Union  Oil  Company,  and 

D.  C.  Cook,  Esq.,  of  Piru,  Ventura  County,  for  the  handsome  gift  of 

text-books  which  they  presented  to  the  Library  of  the  California  State 

Mining  Bureau  as  a  token  of  their  appreciation  of  the  researches  made 

by  our  Department  concerning  the  oil-yielding  formations  of  California. 

Most  respectfully, 

W.  L.  WATTS. 


OIL  AND  GAS  YIELDING  FORMATIONS  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


PART  1.    CHAPTER  1. 

INTRODUCTORY. 


1.1.1.*  California's  mineral  wealth  consists  not  only  in  those  minerals 
from  which  metals  are  obtained,  but  also  in  numerous  other  mineral 
substances,  which  become  in  greater  demand  as  our  manufacturing 
interests  expand  and  as  our  civilization  advances. 

The  most  important  of  the  latter  class  of  minerals,  which,  in  a  com- 
mercial sense,  may  be  regarded  as  non-metallic,  are  the  hydrocarbons; 
and  of  these,  petroleum,  in  the  form  of  asphaltum,  oil,  and  natural  gas, 
is  of  the  greatest  value.  This  Bulletin  is  confined  to  the  last  two  of 
these  items. 

It  is  only  of  late  years  that  the  importance  of  the  petroleum  interests 
of  California  has  been  recognized.  The  value  of  our  petroleum  industry 
is  far-reaching.  Exclusive  of  asphaltum  and  gas,  it  is  represented  by 
the  amount  of  foreign  capital  expended  in  the  work  of  extracting  and 
handling  the  oil,  by  the  price  obtained  for  that  portion  of  our  petroleum 
which  is  exported  by  California  residents,  and  by  the  value  of  that 
portion  which  is  consumed  in  California.  The  part  consumed  in  this 
State  constitutes  the  bulk  of  ©ur  petroleum  output,  and  is  used  chiefly 
as  fuel,  thus  becoming  one  of  the  leading  factors  in  our  commercial 
economy. 

In  California  the  question  of  petroleum  as  fuel  assumes  a  special 
importance,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  deposits  of  coal  thus  far  discovered 
in  our  State  are  inadequate  to  the  steadily  increasing  demand  for  fuel. 

1.1.2.  Since  the  publication  of  our  last  Bulletin  on  this  subject,  the 
opening  of  new  oil-fields  has  widened  the  horizon  of  research;  and  it  is 
very  encouraging  to  note  that  the  new  developments  have  been  made 
along  lines  indicated  in  the  reports  of  the  Mining  Bureau. 

1.1.3.  Investigations  in  which  information  is  gathered  b}--  interview- 
ing parties  interested,  and  obtaining  from  them  data  which  are  the 
result  of  their  researches,  or  by  the  compilation  of  records,  can  be  made 

*The  numbers  at  the  beginning  of  the  paragraphs  are  so  arranged  that  the  figure  on 
the  left  hand  denotes  the  Part,  the  next  the  Chapter,  and  the  figure  or  figures  on  the 
right  hand  the  Paragraph.    Thus,  1.2.15  means  Part  1,  Chapter  2,  Paragraph  15. 

2— Bl9  (17) 


18  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

with  rapidity;  but  investigations  which  require  that  information  be 
gathered  by  the  personal  research  of  the  investigator  demand  a  much 
longer  time.  In  many  instances  the  latter  class  of  investigations 
involves  a  concentration  of  energy  within  a  comparatively  small  area. 
Thus,  in  Los  Angeles,  Orange,  and  Ventura  counties  it  was  apparent 
that  the  relation  of  the  oil-yielding  rocks  to  the  rocks  which  inclose 
them  should  be  demonstrated;  but  this  was  not  the  work  of  a  day  or  a 
week  or  a  month. 

1.1.4.  There  are  few  things  which  facilitate  education  as  much  as  the 
object  method  of  imparting  ideas;  hence,  the  stress  laid  on  maps  and 
illustrations. 

1.1.5.  There  has  been  some  discussion  as  to  the  value  of  fossils  in 
connection  with  researches  among  the  petroleum-yielding  rocks  of 
California. 

In  order  to  make  a  competent  record  as  to  the  occurrence  of  petroleum 
in  this  State,  it  is  necessary  to  define  the  rocks  in  which  petroleum  is 
found,  and  to  show  their  horizontal  and  vertical  range;  or,  in  other 
words,  to  show  the  area  over  which  they  extend,  and  the  way  in  which 
they  lie  one  on  another.  Furthermore,  such  a  record  requires  that  the 
petroleum-yielding  rocks  in  the  different  oil-fields  should  be  correlated 
with  the  geological  formations  of  the  State  at  large.  The  physical 
character  of  sedimentary  rocks  is  an  insufficient  index  by  which  to 
classify  them.  The  rock-forming  sediments  in  every  age  consist  of  mud, 
calcareous  matter,  sand,  and  fragments  of  rock,  which  have  formed 
respectively  shale,  limestone,  sandstone,  and  conglomerate. 

The  accepted  method  of  distinguishing  such  rocks  or  groups  of  rocks 
belonging  to  one  age,  from  similar  rocks  or  groups  of  rocks  belonging  to 
another  age,  is  by  means  of  the  fossils  they  contain,  which  show  the 
form  of  life  existing  at  the  time  the  sediment  forming  the  rocks  was 
deposited. 

This  report  describes  a  series  of  sandstones,  shales,  and  conglomerates 
in  which  petroleum  is  found.  It  is  essential,  therefore,  to  mention  such 
evidence  as  may  define  the  position  of  these  sandstones,  shales,  and 
conglomerates  in  point  of  vertical  as  well  as  of  horizontal  range,  and  to 
show  their  relation  to  the  other  sedimentary  rocks  found  throughout 
California.  Much  more  might  be  said  as  to  the  value  of  fossils  in 
geological  investigations. 

1.1.6.  In  order  to  systematize  the  work,  it  has  been  found  necessary 
to  confine  investigations  to  definite  lines  of  research.  The  direction  of 
these  lines  has  been  determined  by  the  probabilities  of  finding  the 
requisite  geological  data,  by  the  amount  of  development  done  or  about 
to  be  done  in  different  areas,  by  the  amount  of  interest  taken  in  the 
work  of  investigation  by  citizens  connected  with  the  petroleum  industry 
in  the  various  oil-yielding  districts,  and  by  the  demands  for  informa- 
tion concerning  districts  which  were  supposed  to  have  value  as  oil-lands. 


GEOLOGY    OF    THE    PUENTE    HILLS.  19 


TERRITORY  BETWEEN  THE  SANTA  ANA  MOUNTAINS 

IN  ORANGE  COUNTY  AND  THE  SAN  GABRIEL 

RIVER  IN  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  1. 
GEOLOGY  OF  THE  PUENTE  HILLS. 

2.1.1.  In  Los  Angeles  County  there  are  three  distinct  formations 
which  comprise  the  oil-yielding  rocks  and  the  rocks  which  inclose  them 
and  it  became  apparent  that  the  relation  of  these  formations  one  to 
another  should  be  demonstrated.  Since  the  most  urgent  requests  for 
information  came  from  parties  operating  or  about  to  operate  oil-territory 
in  the  Puente  Hills,  in  Los  Angeles  and  Orange  counties,  those  hills 
were  selected  as  an  area  within  which  to  work  out  the  problem. 

2.1.2.  Reference  to  Figs.  1  and  A  shows  that  the  Puente  Hills  con- 
sist of  a  low  range  cut  off  from  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains  by  the  Santa 
Ana  River.  On  the  north  they  are  separated  from  the  San  Jose  Hills 
by  the  south  fork  of  the  San  Gabriel  Valley  (see  Photo  No.  9);  on  the 
west  they  are  separated  from  the  Rapetto  Hills  by  the  San  Gabriel 
River;  on  the  south  they  slope  down  to  the  valley  of  the  Santa  Ana 
River  and  the  level  country  which  stretches  southward  toward  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  about  20  miles  away.  The  highest  elevation  in  the 
Puente  Hills  is  about  1650'.  The  elevation  of  the  valley  of  the  Santa 
Ana  River  ranges  from  about  200'  near  the  village  of  Olive  to  450'  at 
the  narrows,  where  the  Santa  Ana  River  divides  the  Puente  Plills  from 
the  Santa  Ana  Mountains.  The  elevation  of  the  south  arm  of  the  San 
Gabriel  Valley  varies  from  about  350'  near  the  west  extremity  of  the 
Puente  Hills,  to  about  700'  near  the  village  of  Spadra. 

2.1.3.  The  Puente  Hills  are  traversed  by  numerous  canons.  Their 
trend  appears  somewhat  erratic,  but  Fig.  1  shows  that  in  a  general  way 
the  canons  are  of  two  orders:  (1)  Numerous  small  canons,  which 
run  nearly  at  right  angles  to  the  crest  of  the  hills;  (2)  Larger  canons, 
which  either  cut  through  the  crest  of  the  hills  or  run  parallel  to  their 
course.  The  canons  of  the  first  order  have  been  formed  principally  by 
erosion.  The  course  of  the  canons  of  the  second  order  has  probably 
been  determined  by  the  geological  structure.  The  trend  of  the  canons 
which  cut  through  the  crest  of  the  hills  is  east  of  north,  as  is  seen  by 


20  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

looking  at  the  Sycamore  and  Turnbull  canons,  the  Canada  del  Rodeo, 
and  the  upper  portions  of  the  Soquel  and  Brea  canons.  The  trend  of 
the  canons  which  run  nearly  parallel  to  the  crest  of  the  hills  is  east  of 
south,  and  can  be  observed  best  by  noting  a  depression  which,  as  depicted 
in  Fig.  1,  extends  through  the  Puente  Hills  and  forms  portions  of  canons 
at  the  Central,  the  Puente,  and  the  Santa  Fe  oil-wells,  and  in  the  lower 
portions  of  Brea,  Soquel,  and  Telegraph  canons.  The  course  of  the 
canons  of  the  second  series  appears  to  follow  the  course  of  folds  or  faults 
in  the  rocky  strata.  Thus,  Rodeo  Caiion  and  portions  of  Brea,  Soquel, 
and  Telegraph  canons  are  evidently  worn  along  the  axes  of  folds;  for  on 
one  side  of  these  caiions  the  strata  dip  in  one  direction,  and  on  the  other 
side  in  the  opposite  direction. 

2.1.4.  All  the  rocks  seen  by  the  writer  in  the  Puente  Hills  are  of 
sedimentary  origin,  except  in  the  low  foothills  immediately  south  of 
Pomona,  where  granite  and  eruptive  rocks  are  exposed.  The  sedi- 
mentary rocks  show  little  or  no  signs  of  alteration,  except  in  the  spur 
of  hills  which  culminates  in  Pomona  Hill,  and  at  the  Sulphur  mines 
which  are  about  1  mile  northwest  of  Whittier,  where  the  rocks  have 
been  subjected  to  chemical  change  by  the  action  of  sulphureted  vapor. 

2.1.5.  At  Pomona  Hill  there  are  sedimentary  rocks  consisting  of 
hard  brownish  sandstones  and  a  few  strata  of  crystalline  limestone.  At 
the  Sulphur  mines  the  sedimentary  rocks  are  decomposed  by  chemical 
action. 

2.1.6.  The  unaltered  sedimentary  rocks  of  the  Puente  Hills  may  be 
classed  in  three  groups.  Mentioned  in  the  order  of  their  upward  vertical 
range  they  are  as  follows: 

2.1.7.  First — A  group  consisting  of  sandstone  varying  in  color  from 
white  to  light  brown  or  yellow.  The  sandstone  is  interbedded  with 
some  shale  and  a  little  conglomerate.  The  uppermost  beds  of  this 
series  consist  of  a  very  silicious  shale.  These  sandstones  correspond  to 
certain  sandstones  in  the  Santiago  Canon,  which  contain  fossils,  the  age  of 
which  probably  corresponds  to  that  of  the  Lower  Neocene  formations  in 
the  Central  Valley  of  California.  (See  table  of  fossils.)  As  seen  in  Fig. 
A,  a  large  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  lying  to  the  north  and  east  of  the 
Puente  oil-wells  is  formed  of  these  sandstones.  At  several  points  these 
sandstones  are,  or  have  been,  impregnated  with  bituminous  matter  and 
constitute  "dry  oil-sands."  Only  in  two  instances  did  the  writer  note 
a  spring  of  liquid  petroleum  in  this  formation. 

2.1.8.  Second — A  group  consisting  of  shale  with  a  few  strata  of  sand- 
stone, which  become  thicker  and  more  numerous  toward  the  bottom  of 
the  formation.  The  upper  portion  of  the  rocks  of  this  group  consists  of 
thin-bedded  clay-shales  and  sandy  strata;  lower,  the  shales  become  a 
putty-like  clay;  still  lower,  they  are  sandy  and  are  interstratified  with 
sandstone.     In  some  places  the  lower  portion  of  this  shale  is  white  or 


GEOLOGY   OF    THE   PUENTE   HILLS.  21 

whitish.  It  appears  either  to  have  undergone  some  chemical  change  or 
to  be  made  up  largely  of  diatomaceous  material,  for  in  some  places  it 
resembles  diatomaceous  earth.  The  sandy  strata  interstratifying  the 
lower  portion  of  the  shale  formation  constitute  the  principal  oil-sands 
which  have  been  penetrated  by  the  productive  oil-wells  in  the  Puente 
Hills.  These  oil-sands,  where  they  crop  out  at  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  may  or  may  not  show  traces  of  oil;  in  many  places  they  show 
a  brown  pulverulent  sandstone,  but  when  the  surface  is  removed  the 
sandstone  smells  more  or  less  of  petroleum.  At  one  point  on  the 
south  side  of  Brea  Caiion  the  shale  contains  nodules  of  limestone  with 
fossils  of  Middle  Neocene  age.     (See  table  of  fossils  No.  III.) 

2.1.9.  Third — A  group  consisting  of  conglomerate,  sandstone,  and  a 
little  shale.  In  this  group  the  conglomerate  preponderates.  The 
pebbles  forming  the  conglomerate  are,  for  the  most  part,  granitic  with 
black  mica.  In  some  places  the  conglomerate  contains  shells  of  Middle 
Neocene  age.  (See  table  of  fossils  No.  III.)  It  appears,  therefore, 
that  these  shales  and  conglomerate  correspond  in  point  of  age  to  what 
are  hereinafter  described  as  the  Middle  Neocene  formations  of  the 
Central  Valley  of  California. 

At  some  points  the  rocks  forming  the  conglomerate  are  more  or  less 
impregnated  with  petroleum;  indeed,  two  of  the  wells  of  the  Santa  Fe 
Railroad  Company  yield  oil  from  strata  of  conglomerate. 

2.1.10.  The  complexity  of  the  geological  structure,  the  alluvium 
which  covers  the  greater  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills,  and  the  scarcity 
of  fossils  made  the  differentiation  of  these  formations  slow  work. 
Indeed,  it  was  not  until  the  country  on  the  east  side  of  the  Santa  Ana 
River  was  reached  that  the  relative  position  of  the  conglomerate,  shale, 
and  sandstone  was  clearly  made  out. 

2.1.11.  An  examination  of  Figs.  1  and  A  shows  that  the  conglomer- 
ate forms  a  fringe  around  the  base  of  the  hills.  At  a  higher  elevation 
the  conglomerate  has  been  worn  away,  disclosing  a  formation  of  shale 
underlying  it.  At  still  higher  elevations,  the  conglomerate  and  shale 
have  both  been  worn  away,  disclosing  the  sandstone  which  forms  the 
greater  portion  of  the  eastern  half  of  the  Puente  Hills. 

2.1.12.  Crossing  the  Santa  Ana  River  to  the  western  end  of  the  Santa 
Ana  Mountains,  we  find  the  same  sequence  of  formation.  Thus,  travel- 
ing east  from  the  village  of  Olive,  and  ascending  a  ridge  belonging  to 
the  foothills  of  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains,  we  pass  over,  first  the  con- 
glomerate, then  the  shales,  then  the  sandstone.  The  sandstone  rests  on 
older  rocks. 

2.1.13.  If  we  examine  Fig.  A,  we  see  that  at  two  points  there  are 
small  patches  of  conglomerate  surrounded  by  shale.  The  patches  of 
conglomerate  are  "outliers"  (i.  e.,  patches  remaining  of  the  sheet  of 
conglomerate  which  at  one  time  covered  the  shale,  but  which  has  been 


22  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

partly  removed   by  erosion).     The   question   of  the    conformability  or 
non-conformability  of  these  formations  will  be  discussed  later. 

2.1.14.  In  Fig.  A  only  the  leading  structural  features  are  shown,  for 
in  many  places  the  strata  are  much  disturbed  and  the  stratigraphy  is 
so  complicated  that  it  cannot  be  represented  to  advantage  or  any  definite 
structure  figured  therefrom. 

2.1.15.  In  the  Puente  Hills  there  are  two  predominant  systems  of 
folds  or  lines  of  geological  disturbance.  They  are  disjointed  and  rather 
hard  to  trace,  and  at  many  points  they  resemble  faults  rather  than  folds; 
but  since  for  the  most  part  they  show  an  anticlinal  structure  and  play 
an  important  part  in  the  distribution  of  the  oil-lines  in  the  Puente 
Hills,  they  are  herein  spoken  of  as  folds  and  cross-folds.  The  most 
important  of  these  folds  have  a  strike  of  east  of  north,  and  in  the  south- 
ern portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  they  mark  the  axis  of  a  larger  anticlinal 
fold  of  which  they  form  a  part.  The  cross-folds  have  a  strike  of  east  of 
north.  The  general  effect  of  these  folds  and  cross-folds  has  been  to  break 
up  the  formation  into  blocks,  which  fact  adds  greatly  to  the  complexity 
of  the  geological  structure. 

The  course  of  the  first-mentioned  series  of  folds  is  marked  on  Fig.  A 
by  lines  AA,  BB,  XX,  ZZ,  DD.  As  stated,  the  second  series  are  cross- 
folds  to  the  folds  of  the  first  series.  They  can  best  be  seen  by  examin- 
ing the  strata  exposed  in  canons,  which,  as  hereinbefore  mentioned,  cut 
through  the  crest  of  the  hills.  The  rock-exposures  which  indicate  the 
cross-folds  are  seen  to  the  best  advantage  on  the  slopes  of  the  hills. 

The  complexity  of  the  stratigraphy  and  the  scarcity  of  rock-exposures 
in  the  Puente  Hills  render  it  hazardous  to  define  the  course  of  the  axes 
of  folds  as  precisely  as  is  done  by  lines  XX,  ZZ,  AA,  BB,  in  Fig.  A. 
These  lines  must  be  considered  merely  as  pointers  to  direct  the  reader 
to  the  stations  at  which  the  exposed  rocks  give  a  clue  to  the  course  of 
the  folds. 

It  may  appear  that,  in  some  instances,  the  inclined  strata,  treated 
as  indicating  cross-folds,  may  really  be  the  termination  of  short  anti- 
clines. Reference  to  Fig.  A  shows  that  at  the  points  where  the  existence 
of  cross-folds  is  inferred,  the  dip  does  not  swing  around  the  axes  of  the 
dominant  folds,  but  frequently  inclines  toward  it,  and  in  some  cases 
both  limbs  of  the  cross-folds  can  be  observed.  At  a  few  places  the 
exposed  rocks  suggest  a  local  reversal,  and  at  one  point,  as  is  shown  in 
Photo  No.  1,  the  reversal  is  evident.  There  is,  however,  no  ground 
for  believing  that  there  is  extensive  overturning  of  the  formations  in  the 
Puente  Hills. 

2.1.16.  The  southern  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  constitutes  an  anti- 
clinal ridge,  which  has  a  trend  of  S.  70°  E.,  or  thereabouts.  Through 
that  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  which  lies  between  the  Central  oil-wells 
and  Brea  Canon,  two  lines  of  geological  disturbance  can  be  traced,  which 


■■   -^  -:-KS^R*Sk£^,if*inK*l 


PHOTO  1.      OVB'-KTURNED   Foi.l)   IN   PUENTE   HiLLS,  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 


^iS^i 


a 


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PHOTO  2.    Crushed  Sandstone  in  Puente  Hills,  Los  Angeles  County. 


GEOLOGY    OF   THE    PUENTE   HILLS.  23 

have  a  strike  of  west  of  north.  The  axes  of  these  folds  have  an  average 
trend  of  about  S.  70"  E.,  and  they  are  marked  on  Fig,  A  by  lines  AA 
and  BB,  respectively.  In  the  syncline  between  these  subordinate  folds 
there  appears  to  be  a  fault-line,  the  downthrow  being  to  the  south. 

2.1.17.  The  northernmost  of  these  folds  or  lines  of  disturbance  (see 
line  A  A,  Fig.  A)  can  be  traced  as  follows:  From  Station  228,  in  the  edge 
of  the  foothills,  west  of  Turnbull  Canon,  where  the  formation  is  sandy 
shale,  to  the  abandoned  oil-wells  in  Turnbull  Canon,  and  thence  to  Sta- 
tion 150  in  Woersham  Caiion,  where  the  formation  consists  of  oil-sand  and 
thin-bedded  sandstone,  with  conglomerate  on  the  southern  limb  of  the 
fold.  From  Station  1 50  it  probably  extends  to  Station  134  at  the  Central 
oil-wells,  where  the  formation  is  oil-sand  and  crushed  shale.  Between 
Stations  33  and  34  the  prevailing  dip  is  to  the  north;  the  formation  is 
claye}-  and  sandy  shale,  apparently  resting  on  conglomerate.  Since  the 
normal  position  of  the  conglomerate  is  on  the  top  of  the  shales,  the 
structure  at  this  point  indicates  a  fault  or  a  reversal. 

2.1.18.  It  is  probable  that  this  fold  extends  to  Station  58,  where  the 
oil-sand  is  exposed  near  the  axis  of  the  fold.  At  Station  58  the  southern 
limb  is  very  short  and  crushed,  and  the  oil-sand  is  overlain  by  sandy 
and  clayey  shale;  on  the  northern  limb  the  oil-sand  is  overlain  by  sandy 
and  clayey  strata  and  conglomerate.  Fold  AA  probably  extends  to 
Station  70,  where  the  formation  is  sandy  shale;  and  on  the  northern 
limb  of  the  fold  the  sandy  shale  is  overlain  by  conglomerate.  Near  this 
point  the  shale  on  the  southern  limb  of  the  fold  is  white,  and  appears  to 
be  diatomaceous.  Farther  to  the  southeast  the  structure  is  very  irregu- 
lar, and  appears  to  be  complicated  by  cross-folds  which  have  a  strike  of 
about  N.  40°  E.  The  best  evidence  as  to  the  course  of  these  cross-folds 
is  to  be  found  at  Stations  39,  35,  and  36,  on  the  north  slope  of  the  Puente 
Hills. 

2.1.19.  Farther  eastward  and  immediately  west  of  the  Puente  oil- 
wells,  the  shales  have  been  worn  away,  exposing  the  underlying  sand- 
stone, which  appears  to  be  chiefly  influenced  by  the  folds  having  a 
northeastern  strike. 

2.1.20.  At  the  Puente  oil-wells  the  axis  of  a  fold  is  exposed,  on  both 
sides  of  which  are  numerous  remunerative  wells  belonging  to  the  Puente 
Oil  Company.  (See  wells  of  Puente  Oil  Company.)  The  rocks  exposed 
in  the  Puente  Canon  are  principally  shales,  varying  in  color  from  dark 
brown  to  light  brown  or  whitish,  and  in  composition  from  sandy  to  clayey 
or  calcareous.  The  strike  of  the  exposed  strata  varies  from  S.  80°  E.  to 
N.  80°  E.  At  the  Puente  oil-wells  a  canon  has  been  worn  along  the  axis 
of  a  fold,  showing  a  strike  of  south  of  east.  There  appears  also  to  be  a 
cross-fold  having  a  strike  of  north  of  east.  This  is  corroborated  by  the 
drilling  record  of  the  Puente  Oil  Company,  which  indicates  that  the 
strike  of  the  oil-sand  at  the  Puente  oil-wells  is  a  little  north  of  east. 


24  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

2.1.21.  For  nearly  2  miles  east  of  Puente  oil-wells  the  formation  is 
much  disturbed.  The  prevailing  dip  is  northerly.  The  rocks  are  shales 
and  sandstones.  It  is  not  until  Brea  Caiion  is  reached  that  the  structure 
of  the  formation  can  be  definitely  figured  out.  The  structure  of  the 
formation  from  Brea  Canon  eastward  will  be  discussed  later. 

2.1.22.  The  most  southerly  of  the  folds  or  lines  of  disturbance  previ- 
ously mentioned  as  having  a  southeast  course  and  extending  eastward 
from  the  Central  oil-wells,  is  marked  BB  on  Fig.  A.  It  is  situated  at  a 
lower  elevation  and  is  less  easy  to  trace  than  is  line  AA;  for  along  its 
course  it  is  only  here  and  there  that  the  rocks  are  not  covered  with 
alluvium.  In  the  conglomerate,  which  forms  the  lower  portion  of  the 
Puente  Hills  immediately  to  the  north  of  the  town  of  Whittier,  and  west 
of  the  Central  Oil  Company's  wells,  there  is  no  trace  of  this  fold;  but  a 
somewhat  extensive  oil-spring  near  Station  11  in  Savage  Canon  lines  up 
with  the  strike  of  the  axis  of  the  fold.  The  western  extremity  of  this 
fold  is  noticeable  at  the  Central  oil-wells,  the  northern  limb  of  the  fold 
being  soft  sandstone,  and  the  southern  limb  soft  sandstone  covered  with 
conglomerate.  The  most  remunerative  wells  of  the  Central  Oil  Company 
are  on  the  south  limb  of  this  fold.  (See  Photo  No.  3.)  About  1  mile 
farther  to  the  east,  near  the  abandoned  well  of  the  Mutual  Oil  Company, 
the  axis  of  this  fold  is  again  exposed.  Its  northern  limb  shows  sandy 
shale  and  soft  sandstone,  and  its  southern  limb  soft  sandstone  covered 
with  conglomerate.  About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  the  Mutual  Oil 
Company's  well,  are  the  Chandler  wells. 

A  short  distance  south  of  Station  34  the  axis  of  fold  BB  is  again 
seen,  and  there  is  an  oil-spring.  At  this  point  the  northern  limb  of  the 
fold  consists  of  comparatively  soft  sandstone  and  sandy  shale  overlain 
by  conglomerate.  For  a  short  distance  down  the  southern  limb  of  the 
fold,  the  formation  is  conglomerate;  but  at  Station  37  the  clay-shale 
comes  to  the  surface.  The  outcrop  of  clay-shale  at  this  point  is  jDrob- 
ably  due  to  a  fault,  the  trend  of  which  is  southeasterly.  At  Station  37 
the  clay-shale  contains  Middle  Neocene  fossils.  (See  table  of  fossils 
No.  III.) 

The  next  point  where  the  axis  of  this  fold  can  be  observed  is  Station  55, 
.  the  exposed  rocks  being,  for  the  most  part,  grayish  sandstone  and  sandy 
shale.  Continuing  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  which  observation  has 
shown  to  be  the  trend  of  the  axis  of  the  fold  under  consideration,  more 
than  half  a  mile  of  alluvium-covered  territory  is  passed  over,  until,  at 
Station  270,  conglomerate  and  sandstone  are  seen  dipping  east  of  north. 
The  hills  between  Station  270  and  the  La  Habra  Valley  are  composed 
of  conglomerate  and  sandstone,  dipping  to  the  south.  Still  pursuing  a 
southeasterly  course  to  Station  230,  soft  sandstones  are  seen  dipping  to 
the  north.  Near  Station  230  a  well  has  been  drilled  by  the  Union  Oil 
Company  which  has  shown  more  or  less  oil  from  the  surface  down;  and 


n 


PHOTO  3.    Central  Oh.-Wells,  Los  Angeles  County. 


PHOTO  4.    Oil-Wells  in  Brea  Canon,  Orange  County. 


GEOLOGY    OF   THE    PUENTE    HILLS.  25 

two  pits  have  been  sunk  in  oil-yielding  rock,  (See  Union  Oil  Company's 
well  at  La  Habra.)  Farther  to  the  southeast,  the  same  course  passes 
through  Station  218,  where  the  axis  of  an  anticline  can  be  observed. 

2.1.23.  The  rocks  dipping  to  the  north  are  principally  calcareous 
shale  and  soft  sandstone;  those  dipping  to  the  south  are  principally 
conglomerate  and  sandstone. 

East  of  Statidn  218,  there  are  some  points  where  the  exposed  rocks 
show  an  anticlinal  structure,  which  may  possibly  indicate  an  extension 
of  the  line  of  disturbance  marked  by  line  BB.  Thus,  a  short  dis- 
tance south  of  the  wells  of  the  Puente  Oil  Company  the  structure  is 
anticlinal,  the  formation  being  crushed  shale  impregnated  with  petroleum? 
and  there  is  a  small  deposit  of  brea*.  Farther  to  the  east  the  formation 
is  conglomerate  and- sandstone.  In  this  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  the 
rocky  formations  are  cut  through  by  Brea  Canon,  along  the  southern  side 
of  which  the  axis  of  a  fold  can  be  traced. 

2.1.24.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  axes  of  the  folds  AA  and  BB  can 
not  be  followed  in  a  straight  line  for  an}'-  great  distance.  This  may  be 
accounted  for  by  the  block-tilting  previously  mentioned  or  by  faults 
running  in  the  direction  of  the  dip;  or  it  may  result  from  variation  of 
surface  elevation,  coupled  with  the  fact  that  the  axis  of  a  fold  may  have 
different  inclinations  at  different  points. 

2.1.25.  From  the  foregoing  it  appears  that  the  western  portion  of  the 
Puente  Hills  consists  of  an  anticlinal  ridge,  traversed  by  two  systems  of 
folds.  The  folds  belonging  to  one  of  these  systems  are  dominant  folds. 
To  this  order  of  folds  belongs  the  one  indicated  by  line  XX.  It  is 
interesting  to  note  that  if  the  axis  of  this  fold  were  extended  westward^ 
it  would  enter  the  valley  lands  at  or  near  the  sulphur  deposits  about 
1  mile  northwest  of  the  town  of  Whittier.  The  folds  belonging  to  the 
other  system  have  a  course  of  east  of  north,  and  are  cross-folds  to  the 
folds  running  west  of  north;  it  is  doubtless  a  fold  of  this  order  which 
has  given  the  strata  exposed  in  Sycamore  Canon  a  strike  of  east  of 
north.  In  Sycamore  Canon  the  dip  is  west  of  north;  we  look  in  vain, 
however,  for  the  axis  of  a  fold  having  a  strike  east  of  north,  unless  one 
is  inferred  from  the  fact  that  in  Sycamore  Caiion  the  exposed  strata  dip 
west  of  north,  and  that  the  conglomerate  south  of  Turnbull  Canon  dips 
east  of  south. 

2.1.26.  It  is  a  reasonable  deduction  that,  in  a  general  way,  the  strike 
of  the  oil-lines  follows  the  strike  of  the  axes  of  the  folds,  or  of  the  blocks 
of  strata  on  which  they  are  situated.  It  is  evident  that  in  rocky  forma- 
tions possessing  as  complex  a  structure  as  those  of  the  Puente  Hills  the 
folds  have  been  modified  by  fracture  and  faulting;  but  where  the  rocks 
are  much  covered  by  alluvium  it  is  impossible  to  work  out  details  of 
such  displacement  from  surface  observation, 

*  Asphaltum  formed  by  the  exudation  of  heavy  oil.  . 


26  CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING   BUREAU. 

2.1.27.  The  reader  will  be  able  to  gather  a  further  conception  as  to 
the  geological  structure  of  that  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  which  has 
been  thus  far  described,  by  examining  the  cross-sections  shown  in  Figs. 
2,  3,  4,  5,  paying  attention  to  the  arrows  indicating  the  change  in  the 
dip  of  the  different  strata,  and  by  noting  also  the  position  of  the  cross- 
sections  in  Fig.  A. 

2.1.28.  Fig.  2  represents  a  cross-section  about  3  miles  in  length 
through  the  western  end  of  the  Puente  Hills.  It  shows  the  general 
structure  to  be  that  of  an  anticlinal  fold.  If  we  infer  the  strike  of  the 
axis  of  this  fold  from  the  prevailing  dip  of  the  strata  on  the  outermost 
slopes  of  the  fold,  we  should  conclude  that  it  is  N.  80°  E.,  or  thereabouts. 
As  the  axis  of  this  fold  is  approached,  there  is  a  discrepancy  between 
the  strike  of  the  clayey  and  sandy  shales  which  have  been  found  else- 
where resting  on  the  oil-sand  (as  is  shown  in  Fig.  2)  and  the  conglom- 
erate which  overlies  them.  An  analysis  of  Fig.  2  shows  that  the  first 
outcropping  rock  observed  on  the  northern  side  of  the  Puente  Hills  at 
this  point  is  conglomerate,  consisting  of  fine  pebbles.  (See  Station  201, 
Fig.  A.)  The  stations  mentioned  in  paragraphs  28,  29,  30,  31  refer  to 
those  shown  in  the  diagram  of  cross-sections,  unless  it  is  otherwise 
stated.  Pursuing  a  southerly  course,  the  following  formations  appear 
to  rest  with  practical  conformability  one  upon  another:  Thin-bedded 
sandstone,  light-colored  micaceous  clays,  micaceous  sandy  shale,  con- 
glomerate sandstone,  and  clay-shale;  the  latter  being  very  similar  in 
appearance  to  that  before  mentioned  as  overlying  the  oil-sand  in  other 
places. 

Between  Sycamore  Caiion  and  Dark  Caiion  conglomerate  is  again  the 
prevailing  rock,  the  direction  of  the  dip  being  practically  the  same  as 
on  the  northern  side  of  Sycamore  Canon,  but  the  angle  of  the  dip 
increases  to  60°  or  more.  This  probably  indicates  a  fault  on  the  north- 
ern limb  of  the  fold.  At  Station  191  the  conglomerate  is  underlain  by 
a  brownish  and  whitish  sandstone,  some  of  which  is  pulverulent  and 
indicates  dry  oil-sand.  If  this  sandstone  is  followed  along  its  line  of 
strike  to  Station  216  (see  Fig.  A),  a  sandstone  saturated  with  petroleum  is 
found  underlying  the  conglomerate.  Beneath  this  sandstone  is  a  yellow- 
ish shale,  which  varies  from  clayey  to  sandy  and  is  interbedded  with 
sandstone  and  hard  calcareous  strata.  These  shales  constitute  a  very 
characteristic  formation  in  the  Puente  Hills  and  appear  to  overlie  a 
body  of  oil-sand,  Avhich,  at  Station  150  (see  Fig.  A),  shows  a  thickness 
of  about  50'.  The  dip  of  these  shales  varies  from  N.  20°  W.  to  N.  20°  E., 
and  along  the  line  indicated  on  Fig,  3  the  angle  of  inclination  does  not 
exceed  50°;  at  many  points  it  is  less. 

In  TurnbuU  Canon  there  is  an  oil-spring;  and  a  few  rock-exposures 
indicate  that  the  formation  corresponds  to  that  exposed  at  Station  150. 
Several  years  ago  two  wells  were  drilled  near  the  mouth  of  Turnbull 


GEOLOGY    OF   THE    PUENTE    HILLS. 


27 


CROSS  SECTION  through kV. End  Puentc Hills  fromSt/iI.  /S3 j^t 
Mouth  of  yVoEfPSHAM  Canon  to  ST/r.20/  N.  of  Sycamore  Canon 


FIG.  2 


^C/JLE :  /3ZO' 


prev  o/p.  A//0  yy 


M  A/Of^TM 


^  Pf)cv Dip  ,_  


^/ 


£l/P  S  SO°E 

>y> — *- 


CR05S  SECT/ON  RUNAf/HG  N.20£F/^oAi  5T/I.  /53^/v£^/f  tme  Mocrrn 

OFS/fY/7GE  CaTNON  to  STA.  2/6^^  ON  /V  S/0£  OF  7i/F!/VBC/Li.   Cy^NOA/". 


FIG. 3. 


COUPSE  OF  CflOSS  Sect/o/v 

m .v^^o^.  ♦- 

.SOiZ-ie-.-  /S20  ET. 


18^ 


!  ToS2o'£.       M  f^s  ^f:5--^^^<fll^ 


.^'' 


,0^Z', 


c^' 


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'/P  VARIES  PPOM 


2/6^fx^i£2^y-  ^^  ^  ^o  °ty. 


CROSS  SECT/ON  wNN/A,GN20°E.FR0MSm2l2^  NEAP  Murphv 

IVeLL  to  ^6  ^ A  SHORT  D/STANCE N.  OF  U.S.S/GNAL  StA. /N  Sec.  /^.  T2S.  P//W. 


FIG. 4. 


Course OE  Cross  Section 

3c/!LE  :  /3ZO 


•//so  IV 

56- c 

Co/veioAfSff/iTE  Sf 

S/J/VOSTOIVE 


28  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

Canon;  and  it  is  said  that  one  of  them,  a  400'  well  shown  in  Fig.  A, 
would  have  been  remunerative  had  not  an  accident  occurred  in  the 
drilling  which  choked  the  well.  On  the  summit  of  the  hill,  immediately- 
south  of  Turnbull  Caiion,  the  exposed  rocks  consist  mainly  of  conglom- 
erate and  sandstone.  In  some  places  this  sandstone  looks  as  though 
it  had  been  impregnated  with  oil;  but  the  oil  has  evaporated,  leaving 
the  sandstone  colored  with  carbonaceous  residuum.  A  short  distance 
southeast  of  the  abandoned  well  in  Turnbull  Canon  is  the  first  well 
drilled  by  the  Home  Oil  Company  of  Whittier.*  At,  and  immediately 
around,  this  well,  the  exposed  rocks  are  principally  conglomerate;  and 
the  drilling  records  show  that  the  strata  to  a  depth  of  about  900'  resem- 
ble the  sandy  and  clayey  shale,  which,  as  before  mentioned,  is  found 
immediately  overlying  the  oil-sand  at  Station  150.  This  well  proved  a 
"dry  hole,"  and  was  abandoned.  Subsequently  the  Home  Oil  Company 
drilled  a  well  about  a  third  of  a  mile  southeast  of  their  abandoned  well 
and  close  to  the  axis  of  the  fold;  they  were  successful.  (See  Home  Oil 
Company.)  At  the  mouth  of  Savage  Canon  are  the  wells  of  the  Whittier 
Oil  Company.  Their  records  show  that  after  drilling  through  conglom- 
erate for  a  few  hundred  feet,  a  formation  was  penetrated  resembling  the 
clayey  and  sandy  shale,  which,  as  before  mentioned,  underlies  the  con- 
glomerate. 

2.1.29.  Fig.  3  represents  a  cross-section  running  N.  20°  E.  from 
Station  153a  near  the  mouth  of  Savage  Canon  to  Station  216a  on  the 
northern  side  of  Turnbull  Canon,  a  distance  of  rather  more  than  H 
miles.  Fig.  3,  like  Fig.  2,  delineates  an  anticlinal  fold,  but  the  position 
of  the  oil-sand  is  more  clearly  shown  than  it  is  in  Fig.  2.  An  analysis  of 
this  cross-section  shows  as  follows:  In  the  foothills  near  the  mouth  of 
Savage  Caiion  the  exposed  rock  consists  of  conglomerates  and  sandstones, 
which  have  a  dip  ranging  from  S.  5°  E.  to  S.  20°  E.  About  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  east  of  point  A,  Fig.  3,  there  are  oil-springs.  The  angle  at  which 
the  conglomerate  dips  is  about  65°.  A  short  distance  south  of  Station 
150,  Fig.  A,  the  axis  of  the  fold  is  exposed,  and  close  by,  on  the  south 
side  of  the  fold,  are  the  wells  of  the  Home  Oil  Company.  (See  Home 
Oil  Company's  wells.)  The  rocks  on  the  north  side  of  the  fold  are 
thin-bedded  sandstone,  sandy  shales,  and  oil-sand;  and  on  the  south- 
ern side  conglomerate  and  sandy  strata.  At  Station  150,  strata  of  soft 
sandstone,  aggregating  about  50'  in  thickness,  are  impregnated  with 
oil,  and  the  rocks  between  Station  150  and  the  axis  of  the  fold  show 
more  or  less  indications  of  petroleum.  The  formation  overlying  the 
oil-sand  is  yellowish  clayey  and  sandy  shale  interbedded  with  a  few 
strata  of  sandstone  and  hard  limestone.  At  this  point  the  shale  forma- 
tion is  at  least  800'  thick,  perhaps  twice  that  thickness,  but  there  is  a 

*Since  the  writing  of  this  manuscript,  several  wells  have  been  drilled  between  Turn- 
bull  Caiion  and  the  Central  oil-wells.    (See  wells  in  Whittier  oil-field.) 


.       GEOLOGY    OF    THE    PUENTE    HILLS.  29 

fault  at  Station  165  which  renders  it  impossible  to  make  a  more  exact 
estimation.  A  few  rock-exposures  between  Station  165  and  Turnbull 
Gallon  indicate  a  broken  structure.  The  oil-sand  and  overlying  shales 
show  a  prevailing  dip  of  N.  20°  E.  On  the  northern  side  of  Turnbull 
Caiion  the  formation  is  conglomerate,  and  the  dip  varies  from  N.  30°  W. 
to  N.  50°  W. 

2.1.30.  Fig.  4  represents  a  cross-section  running  N.  20°  E.  from 
Station  2126,  near  the  Murphy  well,  to  a  point  north  of  the  United 
States  signal  station  in  Sec.  14,  T.  2  S.,  R.  11  W.,  S.  B.  M.  Reference 
to  the  plan  of  the  locality  (see  Figs.  1  and  A)  shows  that  the  cross- 
section  indicated  runs  through  the  territory  in  which  the  wells  of  the 
Central  Oil  Company  are  situated.  Fig.  4  exhibits  a  much  more  com- 
plicated structure  than  is  delineated  in  Figs.  2  and  3.  An  inspection  of 
Fig.  2  shows  that  the  conglomerate  has  been  removed  from  a  much 
larger  area  in  the  territory  immediately  under  consideration  than  is  the 
case  to  the  west.  It  follows  that  the  rocks  underlying  the  conglomerate 
are  brought  to  light,  and  they  exhibit  a  fold  which  is  not  seen  in  the  con- 
glomerate farther  westward.  It  is  not  impossible  that  this  fold  may 
be  represented  by  fractures  in  the  conglomerate  which  cannot  be  readily 
discerned  by  surface  observation.  Fold  BB,  Fig.  A,  is  clearly  seen  at 
the  Central  oil-wells;  farther  westward,  along  what  we  may  reasonably 
presume  to  be  the  strike  of  the  axis  of  this  fold,  there  is  an  oil-spring 
and  an  exposure  of  oil-sand;  but  the  oil-sand  and  the  adjacent  con- 
glomerate dip  uniformly  to  the  south. 

An  analysis  of  Fig.  4  shows  as  follows:  From  Station  2126,  the  rocks 
exposed  on  the  highlands  are  conglomerate  and  sandstone,  which  at 
point  B  give  place  to  soft  sandstone  and  sandy  shales.  About  200 
yards  S.  80°  E,  (i.  e.,  along  the  strike  of  the  formation)  from  point  A  is 
well  No.  3  of  the  Central  Oil  Company.  The  record  of  this  well  shows 
that  after  passing  through  the  conglomerate,  "  clay  and  gravel,"  for  340', 
sandy  and  clayey  strata  (probably  sandy  and  clayey  shales)  were 
penetrated  to  a  depth  of  880',  at  which  depth  the  oil-sand  was  struck  and 
a  remunerative  well  obtained.  About  400'  S.  80°  E.  (i.  e.,  on  the  strike 
of  the  formation)  from  point  B,  is  well  No.  7  of  the  Central  Oil  Com- 
pany. The  formation  penetrated  resembles  that  observed  in  well  No.  8, 
below  a  depth  of  340'.  Remunerative  oil-sand  was  struck  in  this 
well  at  a  depth  of  620'.  Near  point  C  is  well  No.  5  of  the  Central  Oil 
Company.  The  formation  penetrated  resembles  that  observed  in  wells 
Nos.  3  and  7,  but  the  oil-sand  was  not  struck  until  a  depth  of  635'  was 
reached.  As  this  well  is  nearly  on  the  axis  of  the  fold,  it  is  somewhat 
extraordinary  that  the  oil-sand  was  not  struck  at  a  less  depth. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Station  134,  the  scanty  rock-exposures  show  sandy 
and  clayey  shales,  and  the  formation  is  much  crushed.  The  latter 
feature  is  also  evidenced  by  the  character  of  the  formation  penetrated 
by  wells  Nos.  2  and  4  of  the  Central  Oil  Company. 


30  CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

About  500'  S.  80°  E.  of  point  D  is  well  No.  2.  The  formation  pene- 
trated is  sandy  and  clayey  shale  and  oil-sand,  which  appeared  to  be 
broken  and  crushed.  Considerable  oil  was  found  between  the  depths 
of  650'  and  1135'.  About  450'  S.  80°  E.  from  point  E  is  well  No.  4. 
The  formation  penetrated  in  this  well  resembles  that  observed  in  well 
No.  2.  At  Station  134  the  axis  of  another  fold  is  exposed.  The  forma- 
tion is  oil-sand  and  dark-colored  shale;  the  rocks  are  much  crushed  and 
stand  at  an  angle  of  85°,  the  direction  of  the  dip  being  S.  20°  E.  to 
S.  20°  W.,  and  N.  10°  E.  to  N.  20°  E.  At  this  point  there  is  an  oil-spring. 
Between  Stations  134  and  132  the  formation  is  crushed  shale,  with  traces 
of  oil.  Between  Stations  132  and  133  the  shale  gives  place  to  a  rather 
thick-bedded  brown  sandstone,  and  the  dip  lessens  to  about  60°.  Several 
springs  of  mineral  water  ooze  from  this  sandstone. 

At  Station  133  a  soft  brown  micaceous  sandstone  is  exposed,  which 
dips  N.  50°  W.,  at  an  angle  of  about  25°.  Immediately  north  of  Station 
133  the  hills  are  covered  with  alluvium;  but  in  a  ravine  a  slaty  shale 
crops  out,  which  is  crumpled  into  two  compressed  folds  at  Stations  22 
and  23  respectivel}^.  North  of  Station  23  the  formation  is  sandy  and 
clayey  shale,  with  thin  strata  of  bituminous  limestone.  This  formation 
is  overlain  by  an  oil-sand,  which  crops  out  at  Station  46a.  Resting 
with  apparent  non-conformability  on  the  oil-sand  is  a  formation  com- 
posed of  clayey  and  sandy  strata,  which  has  a  dip  of  N.  40°  W.;  and 
still  farther  to  the  north  is  a  thick  deposit  of  conglomerate,  which  has 
a  prevailing  dip  of  N.  40°  W. 

2.1.31.  Fig.  5  shows  a  cross-section  running  N.  20°  E.  through  the 
Puente  Hills  north  of  La  Habra,  namely,  from  Station  261a  near  the 
southwestern  corner  of  Sec.  32  to  Station  236  near  the  northeastern 
corner  of  Sec.  29,  T.  2  S.,  R.  10  W.,  S.  B.  M.  Between  Stations  2fila 
and  244,  Fig.  5,  the  exposed  rocks  are  conglomerate  and  sandstone,  the 
prevailing  dip  being  S.  10°  E.,  at  an  angle  of  about  25°.  At  Station  244 
the  formation  is  sandy  clay,  which  dips  S.  20°  W.,  at  an  angle  of  about 
30°.  Half  a  mile  or  more  N.  80°  W.  from  point  A  are  the  wells  drilled 
by  the  Union  Oil  Company  near  La  Habra;  close  to  the  Union  Oil  Com- 
pany's wells  are  two  pits  which  penetrate  rocks  saturated  with  petroleum. 
At  Station  245,  a  gray  sandstone,  which  is  capped  with  a  stratum  of 
limestone,  dips  N.  20°  E.,  at  an  angle  of  about  65°.  The  physical  appear- 
ance of  the  sandstone  corresponds  to  the  sandstone  near  the  Union  Oil 
Company's  wells.  At  Station  270,  Fig.  A,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
northwest  of  this  well,  a  similar  sandstone  is  capped  with  conglomerate, 
which  pitches  to  the  north.  To  the  north  of  the  La  Habra  Creek,  as 
shown  between  Stations  245  and  246,  Fig.  5,  the  formation  consists  of 
sandy  shales,  soft  sandstones,  and  oil-sand.  As  seen  in  a  canon  running 
nearly  at  right  angles  to  the  strike  of  the  formation,  these  rocks  are  much 
crushed,  and,  for  the  most  part,  stand  at  angles  ranging  from  50°  to  90°. 


GEOLOGY    OF   THE    PUENTE    HILLS.  31 

At  several  places  the  sand  is  impregnated  with  petroleum,  and  at  one 
point  there  is  a  spring  of  mineral  water.  The  direction  of  the  dip 
ranges  from  N.  20°  to  N.  70°  W.,  and  in  a  few  places  the  strata  are 
inclined  to  the  south.  Between  Stations  246  and  342  the  formation  is 
sandy  shale.  Near  Station  181  (see  Fig.  A)  the  axis  of  another  fold  is 
exposed,  the  formation  being  oil-sand  and  sandy  shale,  as  shown  at 
Station  342,  Fig.  5.  The  dip  of  the  oil-sand  is  N.  30°  E.,  and  that  of 
the  sandy  shale  varies  from  N,  30°  E.  to  N.  50°  W.  The  sandy  shale  is 
overlain  by  conglomerate,  which  shows  a  dip  of  from  N.  30°  W.  to 
N.  70°  W.  at  an  angle  of  about  35°. 

2.1.32.  From  the  foregoing  it  appears  that  in  the  portion  of  the 
Puente  Hills  which  extends  between  Whittier  and  the  Santa  Fe  oil- 
wells,  the  geological  structure  is  that  of  an  anticlinal  fold  modified  by 
certain  subordinate  folds  in  the  rocky  formations,  which  are  indicated 
in  Fig.  A  by  lines  XX,  ZZ,  AA,  and  BB.  As  previously  noted,  it  is 
probable  that,  in  a  general  way,  the  oil-lines  follow  the  axes  of  the  folds 
referred  to. 

2.1.33.  Figs.  4  and  5  represent  cross-sections  bisecting  portions  of 
the  Puente  Hills  which  are  a  little  more  than  3  miles  apart.  In 
Fig.  5  two  distinct  folds  are  shown,  and  in  Fig.  4  two  distinct  folds  and 
two  minor  plications.  There  are  also  other  minor  plications  in  the 
territory  represented,  but  it  would  complicate  the  figures  too  much  to 
delineate  them.  It  is  apparent  that  the  outer  slopes  of  these  folds  are 
formed  of  conglomerate,  and  the  inner  slopes  of  the  underlying  shales 
and  sandstones.  There  also  is  a  very  slight  interplication  of  conglom- 
erate, which  is  shown  in  Fig.  A,  i.  e.,  in  the  plan  of  the  territory  referred 
to,  but  not  in  Figs.  4  and  5. 

It  is  appropriate,  therefore,  to  regard  that  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills 
through  which  cross -sections  2,  3,  4,  and  5  are  drawn  as  constituting  an 
anticlinal  fold,  with  secondary  folds  running  parallel  to  its  axis. 

2.1.34.  The  arrows  in  Figs.  4  and  5  show  that  there  is  considerable 
irregularity  in  the  dip  and  strike  of  the  different  formations.  In  a  gen- 
eral way,  the  prevailing  strike  of  the  shales  and  sandstones  is  west  of 
north,  while  that  of  the  conglomerate  is  sometimes  east  of  north. 
These  features  may  be  noted  at  several  points  in  the  Puente  Hills, 
although  both  the  east  of  north  strike  and  w'est  of  north  strike  are  more 
or  less  common  to  both  the  conglomerates  and  underlying  formations. 
For  the  most  part  the  conglomerate  is  much  less  disturbed  than  the 
underlying  shales;  to  some  extent  this  may  be  accounted  for  by  the 
fact  that  the  conglomerate  is  much  the  stronger  formation. 

2.1.35.  The  contour  of  the  hills  between  the  Puente  wells  and  Brea 
Gallon  suggests  that  fold  XX  is  a  continuation  of  fold  AA,  and  fold  ZZ 
of  fold  BB.  A  careful  examination  of  the  territory,  however,  shows 
that  if  line  XX  were  extended  westward  it  would  coincide  with   BB 


32 


CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


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PHOTO  5.    Santa  Fe  Oil-Wells,  Fullerton  Oil-Field,  Orakge  County. 

(Photo  taken  in  1898.) 


PHOTO  6.    View  in  Eastern  Oil-Field,  City  of  Los  Angeles. 


GEOLOGY    OF    THE    PUENTE    HILLS.  33 

rather  than  with  AA.  This  might  be  accounted  for  by  the  difference  in 
elevation  and  the  inclination  of  the  axis  of  fold  XX,  but  in  view  of  the 
broken  character  of  the  structure  between  the  Puente  wells  and  Brea 
Canon  it  would  be  a  hazardous  generalization. 

At  the  south  end  of  Brea  Canon  there  is  a  well-marked  anticlinal 
fold,  the  axis  of  which  has  a  strike  of  about  S.  76°  E.  The  probable 
strike  of  the  axis  of  this  fold  is  shown  in  Fig.  I  by  divergent  arrows  and 
in  Fig.  A  by  line  XX.  A  short  distance  west  of  the  junction  of  Brea 
Canon  and  the  Spadra  Road,  fold  XX  is  disturbed  by  a  cross-fold,  the 
axis  of  which  has  a  strike  of  north  of  east,  as  is  shown  by  rock-exposures 
along  the  Spadra  Road. 

Along  the  axis  of  fold  XX  there  is  a  series  of  oil-springs.  Inves- 
tigation at  the  south  end  of  Brea  Canon  leads  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  axis  of  this  fold  is  inclined  to  the  north  at  an  angle  of  about  25° 
from  the  vertical;  for  on  the  north  side  of  the  fold  the  strata  dip 
N.  20°  E.  at  an  angle  of  about  75°,  and  on  the  south  side  of  the  fold  the 
dip  is  S.  10°  E.  at  an  angle  of  about  40°. 

2.1.36.  Fig.  6  represents  a  cross-section  through  fold  XX.  It  is 
drawn  from  observation  at  the  south  end  of  Brea  Canon,  which  is  locally 
known  as  Rincon  de  la  Brea.  As  noted  in  Fig.  6,  the  delineation  of 
the  north  limb  of  this  fold  must  be  accepted  tentatively,  for  the  scanty 
rock-exposures  indicate  a  complex  structure.  Analysis  of  Fig.  6  shows 
as  follows:  Between  points  A  and  B  the  formation  is  conglomerate,  the 
lower  portion  of  which  is  more  or  less  impregnated  with  petroleum. 
Near  point  B  there  are  two  strata  of  oil-sand,  which  are  respectively 
2'  and  1'  thick,  and  are  separated  by  light-colored  clay.  The  oil-sand 
is  reddish  in  color,  and  contains  granite  and  quartz  pebbles.  The  oil- 
sand  rests  on  soft  sandstone  and  fine  conglomerate,  from  which  the 
writer  obtained  a  small  collection  of  fossils  representing  the  Middle 
Neocene  age.  (See  Bulletin  No.  11,  pages  79  and  80.)  The  soft  sand- 
stone rests  on  a  grayish  bituminous  clay-shale,  which  is  shown  between 
points  C  and  D,  Fig.  6.  The  last-mentioned  rock  appears  to  be  the 
source  of  the  oil-springs  previously  mentioned  as  extending  along  the 
south  side  of  Brea  Caiion.  Near  the  top  of  this  deposit  of  shale  at  the 
Rincon  de  la  Brea  is  a  thin  stratum  of  fossiliferous  sandstone,  from 
which  the  writer  obtained  several  fossils  which  are  referred  by  Dr.  Mer- 
riam  to  the  Middle  Neocene  age.  (See  table  of  fossils  No.  III.)  In  the 
center  of  that  portion  of  Brea  Caiion  shown  in  Fig.  6  there  are 
no  rock-exposures.  On  the  north  side  of  the  canon,  as  indicated 
between  points  E,  F,  and  G,  there  are  strata  of  sandstone  and  con- 
glomerate similar  in  appearance  to  the  sandstones  and  conglomerate  on 
the  south  side  of  Brea  Cafion.  Between  points  G  and  H  the  formation 
is  shale  and  soft  sandstone,  which  probably  belong  to  the  same  geolog- 
ical horizon  as  do  the  shales  exposed  between  points  C  and  D  on  the 
8— Bl9 


34  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

south  side  of  Brea  Canon.  The  upper  portion  of  the  shale  between 
points  G  and  H  passes  into  thin-bedded,  reddish  sandstone,  or  sandy- 
shale,  intercalated  with  soft  whitish  material,  which  resembles  diatoma- 
ceous  earth.  It  will  be  observed  that  on  the  south  side  of  Brea  Canon 
there  is  an  orderly  sequence  of  conglomerate  and  sandstone  overlying 
shale,  which,  as  before  demonstrated,  is  normally  the  relative  position 
of  these  formations  in  the  Puente  Hills.  On  the  north  side  of  the 
canon  the  shale  appears  to  overlie  the  conglomerate.  It  is  not  improb- 
able that  this  apparent  reversal  is  due  to  a  fault  such  as  that  repre- 
sented at  point  G,  Fig.  6.  The  shales  and  thin-bedded  sandstone 
between  points  G  and  H  show  no  evidence  of  petroleum.  As  previously 
mentioned,  the  rocks  exposed  on  the  north  side  of  the  fold  at  the  point 
under  discussion  indicate  a  complex  structure;  moreover,  the  rocks 
exposed  on  the  north  side  of  the  fold  do  not  correspond  sufficiently  to 
the  strata  exposed  on  the  south  side  of  the  fold  to  warrant  the  divergent 
strata  shown  in  Fig.  6  being  connected  by  an  air-saddle. 

2.1.37.  Southeast  of  Brea  Canon  the  fold  marked  by  line  ZZ  (see  Fig. 
A)  traverses  the  mountain  which  lies  to  the  north  of  the  Santa  Fe  oil- 
wells.  (See  Photo  No.  5.)  Its  course  is  somewhat  obscure,  but  it 
appears  to  be  in  line  with  Station  40  in  Clapp  Caiion,  where  the  axis  of 
a  fold  can  be  observed.  The  formation  immediately  to  the  north  of  the 
Santa  Fe  oil-wells  (see  Fig.  A)  is  principally  sandstone,  and  the  geolog- 
ical position  of  the  exposed  rocks  is  near  the  contact  of  the  sandstone 
and  shale  formation.  Since  this  locality  was  visited  by  the  writer, 
wells  have  been  drilled  to  the  north  of  the  wells  of  the  Santa  Fe 
Railroad  Company. 

South  of  fold  XX  and  southeast  of  Brea  Canon,  a  series  of  oil-springs 
and  beds  of  brea  extend  in  a  southeasterly  direction  toward  the  wells 
of  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Company.  These  springs  and  brea  beds  mark 
the  axis  of  a  fold  which  is  indicated  by  line  ZZ.  Along  the  fold  the 
formation  is  shale  and  soft  sandstone  overlain  by  conglomerate,  and 
most  of  the  strata  show  a  dip  of  from  60°  to  80°,  The  wells  of  the  Santa 
Fe  Railroad  Company  are  situated  on  this  fold.  (See  wells  of  the  Santa 
Fe  Railroad  Company.)  In  Telegraph  Canon  the  angle  at  which  the 
strata  dip  gradually  lessens  to  about  50°.  East  of  Telegraph  Canon 
fold  ZZ  is  very  difficult  to  trace,  and  as  the  Santa  Ana  River  is 
approached  the  geological  structure  becomes  very  complex. 

2.1.38.  The  hills  immediately  west  of  the  Santa  Ana  River  are  com- 
posed principally  of  whitish  sandstone,  corresponding  to  the  whitish 
sandstone  previously  described.  The  writer  did  not  find  any  springs  of 
petroleum  or  brea  beds  east  of  Telegraph  Canon.  South  of  Telegraph 
Canon  a  series  of  hills,  composed  principally  of  conglomerate,  slope 
down  to  the  vallev  lands. 


GEOLOGY    OF    THE    PUENTE    HILLS.  35 

2.1.39.  North  of  Telegraph  Canon  the  Puente  Hills  extend  for  a 
distance  of  about  7  miles  toward  the  Chino  Valley.  For  the  most  part 
they  consist  of  sandstone,  and  constitute  rough  grazing  land,  and  a 
large  area  is  comprised  by  the  Chino  ranch. 

2.1.40.  Carbonne  and  Clapp  canons  cut  through  hills  nearly  at  right 
angles  to  the  prevailing  strike  of  the  formation.  The  exposed  rocks 
are  principally  sandstones.  Between  Stations  31  and  30  in  Carbonne 
Canon  the  formation  consists  principally  of  slaty  shale  similar  in 
appearance  to  that  seen  between  Stations  22  and  23,  north  of  the  wells 
of  the  Central  Oil  Company.  (See  Fig.  4,)  This  shale  varies  from 
clayey  to  sandy;  in  some  places  it  is  very  silicious,  and  some  samples 
show  a  calcareous  reaction  with  acid;  it  is  usually  fissile,  frequently 
presenting  a  slaty  cleavage;  more  rarely  it  is  thick-bedded;  and,  in 
some  instances,  it  loses  its  shaly  structure.  Exposures  of  similar  shale 
may  be  seen  at  some  places  on  the  Chino  ranch.  Farther  to  the  north- 
east up  Carbonne  Canon,  between  Station  30  and  the  Hiltscher  ranch, 
the  formation  is  principally  sandstone.  This  sandstone  varies  in  color 
from  white  to  yellowish  or  light  brown,  and  some  of  it  is  composed  of 
mealy-looking  grains  which  are  very  characteristic.  In  most  places 
where  it  has  been  exposed  to  the  weather  it  is  soft  and  friable;  but 
beneath  the  surface  of  the  ground  it  is  moderately  hard;  it  resembles 
the  Miocene  (Lower  Neocene)  sandstone  observed  in  Santiago  Canon, 
as  hereinafter  noted.  North  of  the  Hiltscher  ranch,  most  of  the 
exposed  rocks  are  sandstone.  There  are,  also,  a  few  places  where  sandy 
and  clayey  shales  are  seen,  resting  on  bituminous  sandstone. 

2.1.41.  Bituminous  sandstone  is  exposed  at  several  points  on  the 
Chino  ranch.  In  most  places  the  outcropping  bituminous  rocks  have 
no  odor  of  petroleum;  but  the  fresh-broken  rock  shows  the  brown  pul- 
verulent surface  characteristic  of  oil-sand,  and  by  a  little  digging  rock 
smelling  of  petroleum  can  be  found.  On  the  Chino  ranch  bituminous 
sandstone  may  be  observed  at  the  following  places:  In  a  ravine  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  the  well  drilled  by  the  Chino  Valley  Beet  Sugar 
Company  (see  Chino  Well  No.  1,  Fig.  A)  there  are  ledges  of  bituminous 
sandstone  about  10'  or  more  in  thickness,  which  at  one  time  must  have 
been  saturated  with  oil.  (See  record  of  Chino  Well  No.  1.)  After 
breaking  away  the  weathered  surface,  specimens  can  be  obtained  which 
smell  slightly  of  petroleum.  At  Station  200,  near  Chino  Well  No.  2, 
there  is  another  outcrop  of  bituminous  sandstone,  and  a  seepage  of 
heavy  petroleum.  The  exposed  sandstone  is  about  20'  thick,  and  the 
dip  is  N.  50°  E.,  at  an  angle  of  about  25°.  At  this  point  there  is  an 
upper  deposit  of  bituminous  sandstone  of  le'Ss  thickness  than  the  main 
body,  and  separated  from  the  latter  by  a  stratum  of  barren  sandstone. 
At  Station  40  a  ledge  of  bituminous  sandstone  is  exposed,  and  there  is  a 
spring  of  heavy  oil.  A  1000'  well  was  drilled  near  this  point.  (See 
record  of  Gird  well.) 


36  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU, 

2.1.42.  At  Gird's  quarry,  on  the  road  to  Brea  Canon,  the  bituminous 
sandstone  shows  a  thickness  of  about  40'.  In  the  lower  portion  of  the 
quarry  the  sandstone  is  saturated  with  oil.  In  Rattlesnake  Canon, 
northwest  of  Chino  Well  No.  2,  there  are  extensive  ledges  of  bituminous 
sandstone,  which  aggregate  a  thickness  of  more  than  30'.  There  are  also 
several  places  in  the  vicinity  of  Gird's  quarry  where  bituminous  sand- 
stone is  exposed. 

2.1.43.  In  the  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  comprised  within  the 
Chino  ranch,  the  prevailing  strike  of  the  formation  is  west  of  north. 
The  lines  of  geological  formation  resemble  faults  running  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  strike  of  the  formation,  and  the  block  structure,  although  on 
rather  a  small  scale,  is  apparent.  Near  Gird's  quarry  of  bituminous 
sandstone  the  formation  is  traversed  by  short  folds,  along  which  the 
bituminous  sandstone  crops  out.  The  dip  of  the  formation  is  at  a  very 
low  angle,  in  most  places  only  10*^  or  15°. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  Gird's  quarry  there  is  a  line  of 
disturbances  of  some  importance;  in  places  it  exhibits  more  or  less  of 
an  anticlinal  structure;  it  is  marked  DD  on  Fig.  A.  Bituminous  sand- 
stone crops  out  at  several  places  along  this  line.  At  one  point  near 
Station  200  a  prospect  well  was  drilled  by  the  Chino  Valley  Beet  Sugar 
Company,  but  without  success.     (See  record  of  Chino  Well  No.  2.) 

The  lower  foothills  of  the  Puente  range  within  the  boundaries  of  the 
Chino  ranch  are  covered  with  alluvium.  The  writer  did  not  examine 
them  east  of  the  road  leading  from  Gird's  quarry  to  Chino. 

2.1.44.  The  higher  portions  of  the  Puente  Hills  between  Carbonne 
Canon  and  the  Canada  del  Rodeo,  which  territory  includes  a  portion  of 
the  Chino  ranch,  consist  of  rough  mountainous  grazing  land.  The  most 
prevalent  formation  is  thick-bedded  sandstone,  whitish  or  brownish  in 
color,  and  resembling  the  Miocene  (Lower  Neocene)  sandstone  in  Santi- 
ago Canon.  In  a  few  places  the  formation  is  shale.  At  Station  201, 
near  to  where  the  Brea  Canon  road  crosses  the  San  Bernardino  county 
line,  the  sandstone  is  impregnated  with  brown  pulverulent  matter,  and 
resembles  dry  oil-sand.  The  geological  structure  is  quite  complex.  In 
some  places  the  strike  of  the  formation  is  east  of  north,  and  in  others 
west  of  north.  The  crushing  which  the  rocks  of  the  Puente  Hills  have 
undergone  is  illustrated  in  many  places  where  the  surface  of  the  strata 
is  exposed,  as  is  shown  in  Photo  No.  2. 

2.1.45.  A  reconnaissance  along  that  portion  of  the  north  slope  of  the 
Puente  Hills  lying  west  of  the  town  of  Chino,  showed  that  the  foothills 
are  composed  principally  of  shale,  which,  south  of  Pomona,  appears  to 
rest  on  a  gray  or  brown  sandstone. 

2.1.46.  Pomona  Hill  is  1476'  in  height;  it  is  about  2  miles  southwest 
of  the  town  of  Pomona.  This  hill  and  the  ridge  on  which  it  is  situated 
are  formed  of  very  hard  sandstone,  which,  in  one  or  two  places,  contains 


GEOLOGY    OF   THE    PUENTE    HILLS.  37 

veins  of  calcite.  There  are  also  a  few  strata  of  crystalline  limestone. 
The  most  northerly  ridge  in  this  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  is  com- 
posed principally  of  eruptive  rock  (laminated  rhyolite).  (See  Stations 
271  and  272,  Fig.  A;  also  Fig.  1.) 

On  the  boulevards  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  limits  of  Pomona, 
and  at  the  foot  of  the  ridge  of  rhyolite  previously  mentioned,  the  bed- 
rock is  granite.  (See  Fig.  A.)  South  of  Pomona  there  is  a  narrow 
valley  occupied  by  marshy  land,  with  numerous  springs  which  are  the 
source  of  Brea  Canon  Creek.  On  the  Wright  &  Lynch  ranch,  west  of 
Pomona  Hill,  the  foothills  are  composed  of  shale,  resting  on  sandstone 
resembling  that  seen  in  the  higher  portions  of  the  hills.  There  is 
also  in  this  locality  a  somewhat  extensive  exposure  of  conglomerate, 
which  probably  belongs  to  the  same  geological  horizon  as  the  sandstones. 

At  Station  273,  on  the  Lynch  &  Wright  ranch,  the  shale  is  interbedded 
with  oil-sand,  and  the  sandstone  immediately  underlying  the  shale  is 
more  or  less  impregnated  with  bituminous  matter.  The  prevailing  strike 
of  these  rocks  is  west  of  north,  and  the  angle  of  the  dip  is  about  20°  or 
less.  No  springs  of  liquid  petroleum  were  observed  in  this  locality. 
West  of  Station  273  the  foothills  are  covered  with  alluvium.  In  a  canon 
running  northwest  of  the  water  tunnel  of  the  Puente  Oil  Company  thick 
strata  of  sandstone  are  exposed,  the  dip  being  a  little  west  of  north  at 
an  angle  of  about  30°. 

2.1.47.  Immediately  north  of  the  Puente  oil-wells  the  topography 
and  the  exposed  rocks  indicate  considerable  geological  disturbance, 
probably  in  the  nature  of  faults,  running  nearly  in  the  direction  of  the 
strike  of  the  formation  (i.  e.,  a  little  east  of  north).  The  formation  is 
shale  and  sandstone. 

In  the  creek  which  runs  north  from  the  Puente  w^ells,  ledges  of  thick- 
bedded  sandstones  crop  out,  and  a  similar  sandstone  is  exposed  on  both 
sides  of  a  trail  which  leads  from  the  crest  of  the  Puente  Hills  toward  the 
Puente  ranch-house.  The  sandstone  is  overlain  by  shale,  in  which  are 
strata  of  oil-sand,  as  shown  at  Station  181,  Fig.  A.  The  shale  is  capped 
with  conglomerate.  (Figs.  1,  A,  and  5.)  The  prevailing  dip  of  the  for- 
mation in  this  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  is  west  of  north.  This  is 
probably  occasioned  by  a  cross-fold  which  traverses  the  Puente  Hills  at 
this  point,  and  complicates  the  geological  structure.  The  conglomerate 
constitutes  an  elevated  ridge,  which  rises  to  an  altitude  of  more  than 
1300'.  From  this  ridge  a  slope  of  grazing  land  descends  toward  the 
north;  the  underlying  rocks  being  conglomerate,  overlain  in  the  lowest 
tier  of  hills  by  bluish  micaceous  clay.  The  conglomerate  can  be  traced 
through  the  foothills  of  Station  36,  where  it  is  overlain  by  a  grayish 
clayey  sandstone  containing  much  mica  and  some  fossils. 

Farther  westward,  erosion  has  worn  down  the  hills,  lessening  their 
width  and  elevation  and  exposing  the  underlying  shales  and  sandstones. 


38  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

At  Workman  Hill,, north  of  the  Central  oil-wells,  the  hills  rise  to  an 
elevation  of  1391';  and  the  north  slope  of  the  hills  is  formed  of  con- 
glomerate underlain  by  shale.  A  stratum  of  oil-sand  is  exposed  in  the 
canon  at  the  south  base  of  Workman  Hill. 

From  Workman  Hill  to  the  west  extremity  of  the  Puente  Hills,  the 
north  slope  of  the  hills  is  principally  conglomerate,  with  a  few  strata  of 
sandstone.  In  some  places  the  sandstone  is  impregnated  with  bitumi- 
nous matter,  and  there  are  springs  of  sulphureted  water  which  deposit 
a  tufa  containing  bituminous  matter. 

As  previously  stated,  the  dip  of  the  formation  at  the  west  end  of  the 
Puente  Hills  indicates  a  cross-fold  or  the  nosing  out  of  a  fold  of  greater 
magnitude  than  those  which  have  been  individually  described. 

2,1.48.  The  west  extremity  of  the  Puente  Hills  descends  somewhat 
abruptly  to  the  San  Gabriel  River.  The  exposed  rocks  for  the  most 
part  belong  to  those  heretofore  classed  as  the  conglomerate  series,  but 
they  are  much  obscured  by  alluvium.  (See  Fig.  A.)  In  the  lower  por- 
tion of  Sycamore  Canon,  the  clay-shale  crops  out  in  several  places,  and 
it  is  overlain  by  conglomerate. 

About  a  mile  north  of  the  village  of  Whittier  there  are  deposits  of 
sulphur,  which,  in  1889,  were  mined  by  C.  Prager  of  Los  Angeles. 
These  deposits  present  the  usual  characteristics  of  solfataric  origin.* 
(See  Solfataric  Action,  Bulletin  No.  11.)  It  is  probable  that  these  sul- 
phur deposits  indicate  a  fault  or  fissure.  It  is  noteworthy  that  if  the 
line  of  disturbance  marked  AA  on  Fig.  A  were  extended  westward,  it 
would  strike  the  sulphur  deposits.  The  sulphurous  rocks  consist  of 
decomposed  shale  impregnated  with  sulphur  and  a  little  bituminous 
matter. 


CHAPTER  2. 

THE  FOOTHILLS  EAST  OF  THE  SANTA  ANA  RIVER. 

2.2.1.  Although  the  line  of  research  to  which  the  writer  was  assigned 
did  not  extend  to  the  Santa  Ana  River,  he  made  a  reconnaissance  of  a 
portion  of  the  foothills  of  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains,  the  reason  being 
that  the  rocks  are  much  better  exposed  in  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains 
than  they  are  in  the  Puente  Hills.  As  previously  mentioned,  the 
Santa  Ana  Mountains  are  separated  from  the  Puente  Hills  by  the  Santa 
Ana  River.  These  mountains  at  their  northern  end  are  formed  of 
eruptive  rock  and  sedimentary  rock  of  Tertiary  and  Cretaceous  age. 
(See  Table  III,  at  the  end  of  this  Bulletin.)     The  Cretaceous  rocks  con- 

*Tlie  term  "solfataric"  as  here  used  is  not  meant  to  imply  volcanic  action,  but 
simply  chemical  phenomena  similar  to  those  incidental  to  volcanic  solfataras. 


FOOTHILLS   EAST    OF    SANTA    ANA    RIVER.  89 

tain  coal  veins,  which  have  been  mined  for  many  years.  The  portion 
of  the  foothills  of  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains  which  was  specially  exam- 
ined by  the  writer,  is  between  the  Santa  Ana  River  and  Santiago  Canon, 
and  extends  from  the  village  of  Olive  to  the  west  line  of  the  Rancho 
Santiago  de  Santa  Ana.  Throughout  this  area  the  formations  corre- 
spond to  those  seen  in  the  Puente  Hills. 

As  this  locality  shows  by  far  the  best  sequence  of  the  conglomerate 
shale  and  sandstone  formations  which  has  come  under  the  notice  of  the 
writer,  it  is  in  order  to  describe  it  in  detail. 

2.2.2.  Fig.  B  represents  the  ground  plan  of  certain  portions  of  the 
hills  constituting  the  divide  between  the  Santiago  and  the  Santa  Ana 
rivers,  and  Fig.  7  represents  two  cross-sections  through  these  hills.  The 
section  on  the  left  hand  is  drawn  from  observation  between  Burruel 
Point  and  Station  547. 

At  Burruel  Point  the  exposed  rocks  are  conglomerate,  resting  on  clay- 
shale  interbedded  with  thin  strata  of  sandstone.  No  actual  contact 
between  the  conglomerate  and  the  underlying  shale  is  observed;  but  the 
following  data  suggest  a  non-conformability  between  the  conglomerate 
and  the  shale:  At  Station  543  the  dip  of  the  conglomerate  is  N.  10°  W., 
at  an  angle  of  25°;  in  the  canon  below  (i.  e.,  between  Stations  540  and 
541)  the  prevailing  dip  of  the  shale  varies  from  N.  40°  W.  to  S.  50°  W., 
at  angles  varying  from  30°  to  60°.  At  Stations  543  and  340  patches  of 
conglomerate  constitute  outliers  on  the  shale.  At  Station  340  a  few 
Middle  Neocene  fossils  were  obtained  (No.  15,  Table  III).  At  Station  338 
the  shale  becomes  sandy  and  the  direction  of  the  dip  changes.  At  Sta- 
tion 339  the  formation  is  a  tough  blue  clay-shale.  Near  Station  545  the 
blue  clay  becomes  whitish,  and  at  Station  545  passes  into  a  white  shale, 
which  is  exposed  between  Stations  545  and  547.  The  white  shale  rests 
upon  a  coarse  sandstone.  This  portion  of  the  diagram  represents  a 
cross-section  between  Burruel  Point  and  Station  547.  From  investiga- 
tion between  these  points  it  is  obvious  that  the  formations  referred  to 
rest  one  on  another  in  the  order  named;  but  the  shales  have  been  so 
much  disturbed  that  the  locality  is  an  unfavorable  one  in  which  to 
estimate  their  thickness,  or  to  determine  their  conformability  or  non- 
conformability  with  the  rocks  inclosing  them.  In  the  opinion  of  the 
writer,  the  various  kinds  of  shale  mentioned  rest  conformably  one  on 
another,  gradually  passing  from  yellowish  clay-shale  to  sandy  shale,  to 
tough  blue  shale,  to  whitish  shale,  and  to  white  shale.  Whether  the 
whiteness  of  the  shale  is  due  to  the  character  of  the  sediments  from 
which  it  is  formed,  or  whether  it  results  from  the  alteration  of  the 
dark-colored  shale,  is  a  matter  for  further  investigation.  As  set  forth 
in  Bulletin  No.  11,  Part  2,  Chapter  1,  Paragraph  38,  and  in  Part  3, 
Chapter  1,  Paragraph  3,  a  similar  looking  white  shale  is  formed  in 
Ventura  and  Santa  Barbara  counties  by  the   alteration  of  dark-colored 


40  CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

shale.  No  seepage  of  petroleum  or  oil-sand  was  observed,  but  these 
shales  in  every  way  resembled  those  which  inclose  the  oil-sands  in  the 
Puente  Hills.  As  is  shown  in  Fig.  B,  the  shales  referred  to  rest  on  a 
deposit  of  sandstone.  Fig.  7  is  made  up  of  two  parts:  (1)  A  portion 
already  described,  representing  a  cross-section  between  Burruel  Point 
and  Station  547  on  the  ridge  between  the  Santa  Ana  River  and  the 
Santiago  Creek;  (2)  A  portion  representing  a  cross-section  between 
Station  549,  on  the  said  ridge,  and  Station  551  in  the  Santiago  Canon. 
The  courses  of  these  sections  as  shown  in  these  portions  of  Fig.  B  are  dis- 
similar, the  first  being  N.  80°  W.,  which  appears  to  be  the  average  dip 
of  the  shale  between  Burruel  Point  and  Station  549;  the  second  being 
nearly  due  north,  which  appears  to  be  the  average  dip  of  the  sandstone 
between  Stations  549  and  551.  This  dissimilarity  of  dip  is  probably 
due  to  non-conformability.  From  observations  on  these  formations  in 
other  localities,  it  appears  probable  that  the  shales  overlap  the  sand- 
stones as  hereinafter  described.  Fig.  7  must  not  be  regarded  as  indica- 
ting the  thickness  of  the  shale,  for  as  shown  in  Fig.  B  the  angle  of  the 
dip  varies  and  there  are  several  local  disturbances  between  Burruel 
Point  and  Station  549. 

2.2.3.  The  sandstone  formation  between  Stations  549  and  551  is 
more  than  5000'  thick,  and  about  1300'  of  this  thickness  is  represented 
by  strata  of  sand  and  conglomerate,  as  indicated  between  Stations  553 
and  551.  These  rocks  show  a  somewhat  different  dip  to  that  of  the 
overlying  sandstones;  but,  in  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  this  may  be 
accounted  for  by  local  disturbance.  Between  Stations  549  and  550  the 
sandstone  is  for  the  most  part  thick-bedded,  and  grayish,  whitish,  or 
yellowish  in  color;  when  the  sandstone  comprising  some  of  the  strata 
is  freshly  broken  it  presents  a  mealy-looking  surface,  which  is  very 
characteristic.  At  Station  550  the  sandstone  contains  Miocene  fossils. 
(See  fossils  Nos.  12,  20,  22,  23,  24,31,  Table  II.) 

2.2.4.  Between  Stations  550  and  553  the  formation  is  a  dark-colored, 
earth-like  shale,  interstratified  with  sandstone;  the  shale  contains  a 
great  deal  of  mica.  It  is  said  that  at  some  depth  below  the  surface  this 
shale  has  been  found  to  be  more  or  less  impregnated  with  petroleum. 

2.2.5.  Between  Stations  553  and  551  the  sandstone  is  comparatively 
thin-bedded,  and  is  interstratified  with  conglomerate.  As  shown  in 
Fig.  7  and  Fig.  B,  the  dip  of  this  strata  is  somewhat  different  from  that 
of  the  sandstone  overlying  the  shale.  At  Station  551  a  stratum  of  cal- 
careous sandstone,  containing  a  few  poorly  preserved  fossils  of  Miocene 
age,  is  exposed. 

2.2.6.  From  the  foregoing,  it  appears  that  the  rocks  forming  the 
Puente  Hills  may  be  divided  into  three  formations:  conglomerates, 
shales,  and  sandstones.  These  formations  rest  one  on  another  in  the 
order  named,  the  conglomerate  being  at  the  top.     They  represent  a 


FOOTHILLS    EAST    OF    SANTA    ANA    RIVER.  41 

geological  age  extending  through  a  portion  of  the  Lower  and  the  Middle 
Neocene.*  The  productive  oil-yielding  formations  consist  of  certain 
strata  of  sandstone  interbedding  the  lower  portion  of  the  shale  forma- 
tion of  Middle  Neocene  age,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  sandstones 
underlying  the  silicious  shales  may  also  contain  petroleum  in  valuable 
quantities. 

The  formations  named  are  traversed  by  two  series  of  folds,  namely: 
folds  having  a  strike  of  west  of  north;  and  cross-folds  having  a  strike  of 
east  of  north.  As  previously  noted,  the  cross-folding  has  resulted  in  the 
formation  of  blocks,  and  these  have  been  subsequently'tilted. 

The  southern  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  constitutes  an  anticlinal 
ridge,  the  structure  of  which  is  modified  by  faults  and  subordinate  folds. 
The  oil-lines  which  have  thus  far  been  developed  appear  to  follow  the 
axes  of  folds  and  blocks  of  strata  which  have  a  strike  of  west  of  north, 
and  in  a  general  way  their  course  corresponds  to  the  axis  of  the  anti- 
clinal ridge  to  which  reference  has  been  made.  At  many  places  along 
the  anticlinal  ridge  there  are  springs  of  oil,  exudations  of  asphaltum, 
and  rock  impregnated  with  petroleum.  Especially  is  this  the  case  at 
and  near  the  contact  of  the  sandstone  and  the  overlying  shale. 

From  the  evidence  at  hand,  it  seems  that  the  oil  companies  operating 
in  the  Puente  Hills  will  make  the  best  progress  by  following  the  axes  of 
the  folds  and  the  strike  of  blocks  of  strata  on  which  remunerative  wells 
are  situated,  by  carefull}^  fixing  the  site  of  new  wells  with  reference  to 
the  dip  and  strike  of  the  formation  as  determined  by  methods  herein- 
after described;  and  by  restricting  the  distance  between  old  and  new 
wells  to  very  moderate  limits.  As  a  general  proposition,[the  most  regular 
oil-lines  will  be  found  on  the  outer  slopes  of  the  main  anticlinal  fold  or 
ridge  herein  described,  while  along  the  axis  of  the  ridge  the  oil-lines  are 
likely  to  be  erratic. 

In  the  central  and  northern  portions  of  the  Puente  Hills,  oil-springs 
are  seldom  met  with,  but  in  some  places  the  sandstone  is  more  or  less 
impregnated  with  petroleum,  and  at  the  surface  it  is  for  the  most  part 
a  dry,  oil-stained  rock.  Wells  hitherto  drilled  for  the  purpose  of  testing 
these  dry,  oil-stained  sandstones,  have  been  unsuccessful,  but  it  must 
not  be  taken  for  granted  that  these  oil-stained  sandstones  have  been 
thoroughly  prospected. 

*  At  a  few  points,  there  are  also  some  rocks  which  may  be  of  later  age. 


42  CALIFOKNIA   STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 


I^A.IIT   3. 

LOS   ANGELES   AND   ITS   SUBURBS,    SAN    PEDRO    PENINSULA,    SAN 

FERNANDO   DISTRICT,  TERRITORY  BETWEEN  NEWPORT  IN 

ORANGE  COUNTY  AND  THE  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY  LINE, 

AND  PROSPECT  WELLS  IN  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER    1. 

GEOLOGICAL   FORMATION   BETWEEN  PUENTE  HILLS  AND 
THE  LOS  ANGELES  OIL-FIELD. 

3.1.1.  There  are  no  remunerative  wells  between  the  Puente  Hills  and 
the  City  of  Los  Angeles.  West  of  the  San  Gabriel  River  broad  mesas 
of  arable  land  extend  toward  Los  Angeles,  but  they  afford  no  opportu- 
nity for  geological  examination.  The  Rapetto  Hills  divide  the  mesa 
lands  from  the  San  Gabriel  Vallev.  These  hills  do  not  exceed  an  alti- 
tude  of  about  700',  and  are,  for  the  most  part,  covered  with  alluvium. 
There  are  sufficient  rock-exposures  to  show  that  the  bedrock  is  con- 
glomerate, but  not  sufficient  to  demonstrate  the  geological  structure. 
In  the  south  edge  of  these  hills  there  are  a  few  places  where  clay-shales 
are  exposed. 

3.1.2.  The  Arctic  Oil  Company  of  San  Francisco  drilled  three  wells 
on  the  Garvey  ranch  in  the  Rapetto  Hills.  The  depths  of  these  wells 
are  respectively  600',  1100',  and  1200'.  It  is  said  that  after  penetrating 
the  conglomerate  the  formation  was  clay-shale,  but  that  no  petroleum 
was  discovered.     The  wells  have  been  abandoned. 

3.1.3.  On  the  mesa  land,  in  wells  sunk  for  water  on  the  Hellman 
ranch,  near  the  cross  roads  south  of  the  Rapetto  Hills  (see  Fig.  A), 
inflammable  gas  was  struck  in  sufficient  quantities  to  be  utilized 
locally  for  light  and  fuel.  These  wells  are  less  than  200'  deep.  It  is 
said  that  the  formation  penetrated  is  principally  clay  or  clay-shale.  It 
is  also  said  that  in  a  well  about  half  a  mile  northwest  of  the  Hellman 
wells,  oil-bearing  shale  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  about  100'. 

3.1.4.  In  the  hills  to  the  north  of  the  mesa  land,  the  conglomerate 
extends  almost  to  Monterey  Canon,  but  the  rock  exposures  are  few  and 
far  between.  West  of  Monterey  Canon  the  formation  is  clay-shale  over- 
lain by  conglomerate,  and  a  series  of  earth-covered  hills  reach  to  the 
city  limits  of  Los  Angeles. 


FORMATION    BETWEEN    PUENTE    HILLS    AND    LOS    ANGELES    FIELD.  43 

3.1.5.  Within  the  city  limits  there  are  rock-exposures  on  Soto 
Street  and  near  Reservoir  No.  6  (see  Fig.  C),  showing  this  reservoir  to 
be  situated  on  the  axis  of  an  anticlinal  fold,  which  has  a  strike  of  about 
N.  80°  W.  A  short  distance  down  the  south  slope  of  this  fold  is  a 
seepage  of  petroleum.  A  well  was  drilled  at  this  point  by  Chandler  in 
1894.  The  formation  is  shale.  It  is  said  that  there  was  a  good  showing 
of  heavy  oil  at  a  depth  of  150';  but  the  well  was  abandoned  at  335',  on 
account  of  water.  In  1898,  a  well  was  drilled  on  the  north  side  of  this 
fold  by  the  De  Soto  Oil  Company,  and  clay-shale  penetrated  for  700'. 
It  is  said  that  no  oil  was  struck.  Farther  westward  along  the  Rapid 
Transit  Railroad  there  were  seepages  of  petroleum.  The  formation  is 
shale,  and  in  several  places  strata  of  oil-sand  are  exposed.  The  strata 
dip  a  little  west  of  south  at  an  angle  of  from  30°  to  50°. 

Oil-yielding  strata  have  been  struck  in  more  than  one  well  in  this 
portion  of  Los  Angeles.  Several  years  ago  a  well  was  sunk  on  the  Rapid 
Transit  Railroad,  a  short  distance  west  of  Prospect  Park.  It  is  said 
that  at  a  depth  of  about  400'  there  was  a  good  showing  of  oil,  but 
that  at  a  depth  of  600'  a  body  of  water  was  struck  which  "drowned  out '' 
the  well.  In  a  well  sunk  for  water  on  property  of  F.  E.  Bland,  on  Judson 
Street,  near  State  Street,  oil  was  found  at  a  depth  of  80'.  Also,  in  a  w^ell 
sunk  on  the  property  of  C.  M.  Johnson,  on  State  Street,  near  its  inter- 
section with  Bailey,  oil  was  found  at  a  depth  of  40'.  In  a  well  sunk  by 
Scott  &  Loftus  on  St.  Louis  Street,  between  Emerson  and  Scott  streets, 
oil-sand  was  struck  at  560',  but  subsequently  much  water  was 
encountered.  Messrs.  Scott  &  Loftus  also  sunk  an  800'  well  on  Mag- 
nolia Avenue,  about  400'  east  of  Soto  Street,  but  only  obtained  traces  of 
oil.     (See  record  of  wells.) 

3.1.6.  On  the  west  side  of  the  Los  Angeles  River,  the  glimpses  of  the 
rock  formation  which  can  be  obtained  among  the  houses  show  that  the 
clay-shales  constitute  the  bedrock  throughout  the  greater  portion  of  the 
city.  Near  the  High  School  and  the  State  Normal  School,  and  possibly 
in  other  places,  there  are  "outliers"  of  conglomerate  which  rest  non- 
conformably  on  the  shale.  These  shales  outcrop  at  several  places  in  the 
western  borders  of  Los  Angeles;  and  on  the  coast-line  at  Santa  Monica 
they  are  represented  by  the  formations  described  in  Bulletin  No.  11, 
1.1.14.  These  shales  rest  on  thick  strata  of  sandstone,  which  are  well 
exposed  along  the  water  company's  ditch,  on  the  east  side  of  Elysian 
Park.  These  sandstones  resemble  the  sandstones  seen  in  Santiago  Caiion 
containing  Miocene  fossils,  w^hich  are  referable  to  the  Lower  Neocene 
division  of  the  Tertiary  system  in  California. 

3.1.7.  Throughout  a  great  portion  of  Elysian  Park,  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Los  Angeles  River,  and  north  of  the  San  Gabriel  branch  of  the 
S.  P.  R.  R.,  on  the  east  side  of  this  river,  the  formation  is  principally 
sandstone,  resembling  that  seen  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  Puente  Hills 


44  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

and  between  the  Santiago  Canon  and  the  Santa  Ana  River.  There  are 
places,  however,  where  patches  of  the  shale  formation  either  rest  as 
outliers  on  the  sandstone  or  are  interfolded  with  it. 

3.1.8.  North  of  East  Lake  Park  these  older  rocks  are  traversed  by  a 
foldj  the  axis  of  which,  if  extended  westward  across  the  Los  Angeles  River, 
would  nearly  coincide  with  a  line  of  fault  or  fissure  which  runs  through 
the  northern  extremity  of  the  Los  Angeles  oil-fields. 

Some  attempts  have  been  made  to  prospect  these  older  rocks,  but  at 
this  writing  no  remunerative  wells  have  been  obtained.  A  short  dis- 
tance north  of  Reservoir  No.  5,  a  well  was  sunk  to  a  depth  of  840'  by 
Headly  of  Los  Angeles;  no  oil;  abandoned.  A  640'  well  was  drilled  by 
T.  M.  Wilkinson,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  Reservoir  No.  5; 
traces  of  oil  were  obtained,  but  the  well  was  abandoned.  (See  record  of 
the  Wilkinson  well.)  A  well  was  also  drilled  at  Warneck  Park,  in  East 
Los  Angeles.  The  formation  penetrated  is  shale;  only  traces  of  oil  were 
obtained. 


CHAPTER  2. 

THE  LOS  ANGELES  OIL-FIELD,  1897-1899,  INCLUSIVE. 

3.2.1.  As  the  character  of  the  formation  in  the  Second-Street  Park 
oil-field,  now  called  the  Central  or  Old  field  (see  Photo  No.  7),  was  fully 
described  in  Bulletin  No.  11,  it  is  in  order  to  relate  such  developments 
only  as  are  subsequent  to  those  mentioned  in  that  Bulletin.  The  west- 
ern end  of  the  field  was  extended  to  the  corner  of  Quebec  Street  and 
Ocean  View  Avenue  (now  called  Miramar  Street),  where  trouble  was 
experienced  from  broken  formation,  quicksand,  and  water.  These 
obstacles,  and  legal  difficulties  resulting  from  a  complication  of  miners' 
rights  with  city  ordinances,  for  a  time  discouraged  further  development 
in  this  direction.  Eventually  prospecting  was  continued  in  a  westerly 
direction  along  what  had  been  shown  to  be  the  strike  of  the  formation; 
this  resulted  in  the  developments  recorded  at  the  end  of  this  chapter. 

In  the  old  field  many  new  wells  were  sunk  in  the  interspace  between 
the  wells  previously  drilled.  Exploitation  to  a  greater  depth  than  that 
of  most  of  the  wells  drilled  prior  to  1896  showed  that  there  was  a  second 
stratum  of  oil-sand.  East  of  Belmont  Avenue,  this  second  stratum  of 
oil-sand  was  found  to  be  productive  wherever  it  was  struck,  at  a  depth 
less  than  900',  and  west  of  Belmont  Avenue  at  a  depth  less  than  1050'. 
Below  these  depths  it  was  found  to  contain  water. 

The  relative  values  of  these  oil-sands  compare  as  follows:  First  oil- 
sand,  125'  thick,  about  45'  productive;  second  oil-sand,  30'  thick,  all 
productive. 


w 


^ 


■f^'''^ 


THE    LOS   ANGELES   OIL-FIELD.  45 

The  eastern  end  of  the  field  was  extended  until  the  north  line  of 
geological  disturbances,  mentioned  in  Bulletin  No.  11,  was  reached  at 
the  corner  of  Victor  Street  and  Bellevue  Avenue,  near  the  Sisters' 
Hospital;  then  great  trouble  was  experienced  from  broken  formation, 
quicksand,  and  water.  Subsequently,  prospecting  was  recommenced  a 
few  blocks  farther  eastward,  which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the 
eastern  extension  of  the  Los  Angeles  oil-fields.  (See  Photo  No.  8.)  In 
this  connection  see  Bulletin  No.  11,  1.1.26  and  1.1.28. 

3.2.2.  The  first  well  drilled  in  the  new  field  was  sunk  by  Maier  & 
Zobelein,  at  the  corner  of  Adobe  and  College  streets.  This  well  was 
completed  in  November,  1896,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  found  to  be  a  suc- 
cess, there  was  a  rush  for  the  new  field.  B}^  the  middle  of  1897  the 
wells  in  the  new  field  were  almost  as  closely  crowded  as  they  were  in 
the  old  field. 

Fig.  D  shows  the  relative  positions  of  the  old  and  the  new  fields;  i.  e., 
the  Central  field,  and  the  Eastern  Extension,  as  they  are  now  called. 
The  black  dots  show  the  wells  drilled  before  the  end  of  1896,  and  the 
open  circles  represent  wells  drilled  during  1897. 

3.2.3.  The  formations  penetrated  in  the  Central  and  in  the  Eastern 
Extension  fields  are  very  similar.  They  differ  somewhat  in  different 
parts  of  the  fields,  but  an  idea  of  their  similarity  can  be  gathered  from 
a  comparison  of  the  following  records: 


Typical  Record  of  Formation  in  Old,  or  Cen-    Record  of  Formation  in  Xeic  Field,  or  Eastern 
tral.  Field.  Extension. 

Given  by  Mr.  Doheny.  Given  by  ^Mr.  Herschey. 

Sandy  and  clayej'  shale  with  strata  of           '  Sandy  shale,  to 325' 

hard  rock,  to 650'    Clay  shale  (bituminous)  to 380' 

Oil-sand  (oil  19°  B.)interstratified  with             Hard  shale,  to 383' 

sandy  clay,  to -. 775'    Clay-shale,  to 395' 

Tovigh  blue  clay,  to 975'  |  Oil-sand  (oil  18.75°  B.)  to 450' 

Oil-sand  (oil  16°  B.)  to 1020'    Hard  shale,  to 453' 

Sand,  with  water.                                                   Tough  clay-shale,  to 483' 

Hard  shale,  to 485' 

Oil-sand  (oil  16°  B.)  to 510' 

Hard  shale 512' 

Tough  clay-shale,  to 552' 


3.2,4.  The  question  as  to  the  direction  in  which  the  Los  Angeles  oil- 
fields were  likeh^  to  extend  was  one  of  great  importance,  and  at  every 
stage  in  the  development  of  these  oil-fields  this  subject  has  attracted 
the  greatest  public  interest.  It  was  discussed  in  Bulletin  No.  11,  as  far 
as  the  evidence  in  hand  warranted,  and  it  was  stated  that  ''  If  the  oil- 
line  on  which  the  Second-Street  Park  oil-fields  is  situated  be  extended 
westward,  it  would  pass  a  short  distance  south  of  the  Baptist  University." 
(See  Bulletin  No.  11,  1.1.25  and  1.1.26.)  Events  since  the  publication 
of  the  Bulletin  named  have  corroborated  what  is  expressed  in  the  para- 
graphs referred  to. 


46  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

When  the  field-work  on  which  the  current  Bulletin  is  based  was  in 
progress,  excitement  ran  high  lest  the  course  of  the  oil-line  should 
extend  from  the  old  oil-fields  to  West  Lake  Park;  and  in  response  to  many 
requests  with  regard  to  the  matter  the  writer  has  collected  a  large  mass 
of  data  pertaining  to  what  were  then  called  the  new  and  the  old  fields, 
especially  with  regard  to  the  depth  below  the  city  datum  at  which  the 
oil-sand  has  been  struck  in  the  different  wells.  From  this  data  he 
estimated  the  dip  and  the  strike  of  the  oil  in  both  fields,  and  drew 
certain  lines  indicating  the  slope  of  the  oil-sand,  as  shown  in  Fig.  D. 
The  result  is  a  picture,  illustrating  the  structural  conditions  pertaining 
to  the  oil-sands  in  both  fields.  i 

Since  the  matter  was  of  immediate  interest  and,  owing  to  the  State      | 
Printing  Office  being  closed,  there  was  no  likelihood  of  an  early  publi-      I 
cation  of  the  result  of  the  writer's  investigations,  he  made  public  his      | 
conclusions  by  means  of  lectures,  which  were  reported  in  full  by  the  Los 
Angeles  papers,  and  placed  maps  of  the  localities  under  discussion  in  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  at  Los  Angeles,  and  in  other  public  institutions. 

3.2.5.  An  analysis  of  Fig.  D  shows  as  follows:  At  the  western 
extremity  of  the  Central  field,  the  formation  is  disturbed,  and  the  angle  of 
the  dip  ranges  from  40°  to  50°,  both  of  which  circumstances  being  in 
keeping  with  the  surface  indications.  Farther  eastward  the  formation 
is  more  regular,  and  the  angle  of  the  dip  increases.  At  Second-Street 
Park,  more  geological  disturbance  is  manifested,  the  angle  of  the  dip 
increases,  and  the  strike  is  irregular,  the  cause  of  the  disturbances  being 
a  cross-fold,  which  intersects  Court  Street  near  Douglas  Street.  Farther 
eastward  the  formation  becomes  more  regular,  until  the  eastern  extremity 
of  the  field  is  reached;  here  the  trouble  again  commences,  tlie  cause 
being  a  cross-fold  or  fault,  or  both. 

3.2.6.  In  the  Eastern  Extension  the  formation  is  more  irregular,  and 
the  angle  of  the  dip  is  less  than  in  the  Central  field.  The  most  regular 
portion  is  the  central  portion  of  this  field,  which  extends  from  the  Sisters' 
Hospital  toward  the  corner  of  Bernard  and  Yale  streets.  Along  this  line 
the  angle  of  the  dip  lessens,  until  at  Yale  Street  it  is  only  about  10'^. 
East  of  Yale  Street  the  surface  of  the  oil-sand  is  at  first  undulating, 
and  then  more  violently  disturbed.  In  the  eastern  extremity  of  the 
field,  this  disturbance  is  particularly  well  marked.  In  the  northern 
corner  of  the  Eastern  Extension  the  immediate  cause  of  the  disturbance 
appears  to  be  a  fault,  which  may  be  seen  at  the  corner  of  Bernard  and 
Adobe  streets,  and  in  Chavez  Ravine.  This  fault  probably  extends  to 
the  corner  of  Hinton  Street  and  Beaudry  Avenue,  where  the  formation 
for  a  short  space  dips  to  the  north. 

3.2.7.  The  course  of  the  contour  lines  shown  in  Fig.  D  corresponds 
to  the  prevailing  strike  of  the  oil-sand,  which  is  practically  N.  85°  W. 
The  contour  lines  also  set  forth  the  relation  of  the  old  and  the  new  oil- 


.      THE    LOS    ANGELES    OIL-FIELD.  47 

fields.  Thus,  if  we  take  any  line  in  the  Eastern  Extension  such  as  the 
one  along  which  the  oil-sand  could  be  struck  at  a  depth  of  400'  below  the 
city  datum,  and  carry  it  westward,  it  would  pass  to  the  north  of  the 
Second-Street  Park  oil-field.  Again,  if  we  take  any  line  in  the  Second- 
Street  Park  oil-field,  such  as  the  one  along  which  the  oil-sand  could  be 
struck  at  the  depth  of  500'  below  the  city  datum,  and  carry  it  eastward, 
it  would  pass  to  the  south  of  the  Eastern  Extension. 

3.2.8.  This  incongruity  may  be  explained  by  either  of  the  following 
causes:  (1)  It  may  be  occasioned  by  a  fault  running  in  the  direction 
of  the  dip  of  the  formation;  (2)  It  may  be  occasioned  by  a  fault  run- 
ning in  the  direction  of  the  strike  of  the  formation;  (3)  It  may  be  occa- 
sioned by  an  oil-yielding  stratum  underlying  those  which  have  been 
struck  in  the  Second-Street  Park  oil-field. 

If  the  first  hypothesis  is  true,  then  there  is  no  extension  of  the  eastern 
end  of  the  Central  field,  nor  of  the  western  end  of  the  Eastern  Extension. 
This  is  the  least  probable  of  the  three  explanations. 

If  the  second  or  third  is  true,  it  is  not  improbable  that  an  oil-line 
would  extend  from  the  Eastern  Extension  beneath  the  Sisters'  Hospital 
toward  the  corner  of  Edgeware  Road  and  Temple  Street,  running  parallel 
to,  and  north  of,  the  Central  field.  There  might  also  be  an  oil-line  running 
east  of  the  Central  field,  toward  the  corner  of  Alpine  Street  and  Bunker 
Hill  Avenue.  Furthermore,  a  line  drawn  along  the  strike  of  the  formation 
eastward,  from  the  northern  limit  of  the  Eastern  Extension,  would  cross 
the  river  near  the  Main-Street  bridge,  and  a  line  drawn  along  the  strike 
of  the  formation  eastward  from  the  south  limit  of  the  Central  field 
would  cross  the  river  a  short  distance  south  of  the  Alhambra-Street 
bridge.  The  evidence  which  supports  the  hypothesis  that  there  is  a  fault 
running  in  the  direction  of  the  strike  of  the  formation  between  the  Cen- 
tral field  and  the  Eastern  Extension,  is  as  follows:  At  the  northeast 
extremity  of  the  Central  field,  namely,  at  the  corner  of  Victor  Street  and 
Bellevue  Avenue,  the  exposed  rocks  show  a  sudden  increase  in  the  angle 
of  the  dip,  from  35°  to  about  70°;  and  more  directly  eastward  from  the 
said  corner  and  south  of  the  Eastern  Extension,  prospectors  have  found 
a  broken,  water-soaked  territory,  such  as  one  might  expect  in  the 
vicinity  of  a  fault. 

3.2.9.  From  the  foregoing  it  appears  that  a  body  of  clay-shale,  which, 
in  some  places,  has  been  found  to  contain  oil-yielding  strata,  underlies 
the  greater  portion  of  the  City  of  Los  Angeles.  This  shale,  as  previ- 
ously mentioned,  constitutes  a  large  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills,  and  is 
probably  the  bedrock  in  the  mesa  lands  between  Los  Angeles  and  Whit- 
tier;  it  contains  fossils  representing  the  Middle  Neocene  epoch.  As 
hereinafter  shown,  the  upper  oil-measures  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley 
belong  to  this  geological  horizon. 

The  facts  herein  set  forth  demonstrate  that  there  is  a  strip  of  territory 


48  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

at  Los  Angeles  within  which  oil-lines  have  been  developed,  and  that 
there  are  numerous  other  evidences  of  petroleum,  and  that  this  strip  of 
territory  extends  eastward  from  the  Baptist  College  and  the  Maltman 
well?  toward  the  Second-Street  Park  oil-field,  and  thence  toward  the 
Scott  &  Loftus  well  on  St.  Louis  Street  in  East  Los  Angeles. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  an  unbroken  oil-line  extends  between 
the  points  named,  for  surface  indications  and  drilling  records  show  that 
this  strip  of  territory  is  traversed  by  independent  lines  of  minor  geologi- 
cal disturbance,  the  course  of  which,  in  some  instances,  does  not  coincide 
with  the  prevailing  strike  of  the  formation.  But  it  is  by  no  means 
improbable  that  oil-lines  besides  those  already  discovered  may  be  devel- 
oped in  the  strip  of  territory  indicated,  and  that  the  extent  of  such  oil- 
lines  would  be  governed  by  faults  or  minor  folds. 

3.2.10.  From  the  records  of  the  oil-wells  in  Los  Angeles  and  in  the 
Puente  Hills,  and  from  the  fact  that  outcropping  oil-sands  and  oil- 
springs  are,  in  many  instances,  found  near  the  contact  of  the  shales  and 
the  underlying  sandstones,  it  is  evident  that  remunerative  oil-sands 
interstratify  the  lower  portion  of  the  shale  formation,  and  in  some 
instances  probably  constitute  the  uppermost  strata  of  the  underlying 
sandstones. 

From  what  has  just  been  stated  it  follows  that  wells  sunk  in  the  shale 
should  penetrate  that  formation  and  ought  not  to  be  abandoned  before 
the  sandstone,  which  in  the  territory  under  consideration  underlies  the 
shale,  has  been  reached.  The  detailed  observations  concerning  the  dip 
a,nd  strike  of  the  oil-sand  at  Los  Angeles,  recorded  in  this  report,  cor- 
roborate* the  statements  made  in  Bulletin  No.  11  of  the  California  State 
Mining  Bureau. 

As  before  mentioned,  the  average  strike  of  the  oil-sand  in  both  the 
oil-fields  at  Los  Angeles  is  N.  85°  W.,  or  S.  85°  E.  If  a  line  were 
drawn  S.  85°  E.,  from  the  corner  of  Scott  and  Figueroa  streets,  in  the 
Central  field,  it  would  cross  the  Los  Angeles  River  about  300'  south  of 
the  railroad  bridge  at  Alhambra  Avenue.  If  a  line  were  drawn  in  the 
same  direction  from  the  center  of  the  Eastern  Extension,  it  would  cross 
the  Los  Angeles  River  about  600'  south  of  the  Main-Street  bridge.  If  a 
line  were  drawn  S.  75°  E.  from  the  corner  of  Scott  and  Figueroa  streets 
in  the  Central  field,  it  would  cross  the  Los  Angeles  River  about  half 
way  between  the  Macy-Street  bridge  and  the  railroad  bridge  at  Alham- 
bra Avenue.  The  last-mentioned  line  would  run  a  short  distance  north 
of  the  oil-seepages  on  the  line  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Railroad,  and  would 
strike  the  well  drilled  by  Scott  &  Loftus  on  St.  Louis  Street,  in  which 
the  oil-sand  was   struck  at   a  depth  of  560'.     This  line,  if  continued 

I 

eastward,  would  strike  the  city  limits  about  600'  north  of  Wabash 
Avenue.  If  a  line  were  drawn  N,  85°  W.  along  the  strike  of  the  forma- 
tion, from  the  corner  of  Ocean  View  Avenue  and  Bonnie  Brae  Street,  at 


'     THE   LOS   ANGELES   OIL-FIELD.  49 

which  point  the  oil-sand  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  about  700'  belew  the 
city  datum,  it  would  pass  about  1000'  south  of  the  Baptist  College. 
Assuming  that  along  this  line  the  oil-sand  could  be  struck  at  a  depth 
of  about  700'  below  the  city  datum,  and  that  the  angle  at  which  the 
oil-sand  dips  at  the  Baptist  College  is  20°,  the  outcrop  of  the  oil-sand 
would  theoretically  be  at  the  Maltman  oil-wells. 

Investigations  show  that  the  dip  of  the  exposed  rocks  in  a  creek 
immediately  west  of  the  Baptist  College  ranges  from  20°  to  25°,  and 
that  in  some  of  the  Maltman  wells  the  oil-sand  has  been  struck  at  a 
depth  of  less  than  100'. 

These  facts  were  set  forth  by  the  writer  in  Bulletin  No.  11  published 
in  1896,  and  in  lectures  given  at  a  later  date,  and  on  maps  showing  the 
trend  of  the  oil-yielding  formations,  which,  as  previously  mentioned, 
were  placed  in  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  the  Mining  Exchange  at 
Los  Angeles,  and  in  other  public  places. 

How  far  subsequent  events  have  proved  the  correctness  of  the  deduc- 
tions cited,  is  shown  by  the  developments  between  the  corner  of  Burling- 
ton Avenue  and  the  portion  of  Ocean  View  Avenue,  now  called  Miramar 
Street,  and  the  Baptist  College,  as  recorded  in  the  following  chapter. 


CHAPTER  3. 

THE  LOS  ANGELES  OIL-FIELD,  1899,  TO  JULY,  1900. 

3.3.1.  In  the  autumn  of  1899  prospecting  was  carried  on  along  the 
strike  of  the  formation  from  the  corner  of  Quebec  and  Miramar  streets, 
where  the  broken  formation  had  been  encountered.  On  Miramar  Street, 
between  Burlington  Avenue  and  Alvarado  Street,  the  oil-field  was 
developed  for  a  width  of  about  600'.  The  wells  are  owned  principally 
by  the  Yukon  Oil  Company. 

The  formation  at  this  point  is  somewhat  different  from  that  in  the 
Central  oil-field,  and  is  as  follows:  Dark-colored  shale  to  300';  sand,  with 
water  and  a  little  oil,  500'  to  800';  on  the  south  side  of  the  oil-line, 
shale  to  1100';  oil-sand  to  1200'.  On  the  south  side  of  the  oil-line 
water  was  encountered  below  the  depth  of  1200'.  About  100',  or  less, 
of  the  oil-sand  is  impregnated  with  oil,  but  the  lower  portion  of  the 
sand  is  saturated  with  water.  Farther  northward,  toward  the  center  of 
the  oil-line,  the  oil-sand  is  struck  at  900'  and  drilled  through  for  about 
300'.  On  the  north  side  of  the  oil-line  the  oil-sand  was  struck  at  700' 
and  drilled  through  to  a  depth  of  1000'  without  striking  water;  but  in 
one  well  which  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  1200'  water  was  encountered. 
4— Bl9 


50  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

It  is  believed  that  the  angle  of  the  dip  is  about  45°.  At  the  northern 
edge  of  the  oil-line  the  two  strata  of  oil-sand  which  have  been  followed 
in  the  Central  oil-field  appear  to  be  squeezed  together,  forming  one  body 
of  oil-sand,  which  has  been  penetrated  for  about  300'.  The  strata  of 
oil-sand  are  interbedded  with  thin,  irregular  strata  of  clay. 

It  would  seem  that  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  oil-line  the  water 
has,  to  some  extent,  displaced  the  oil  and  established  a  level  for  it  about 
1250'  below  the  surface  of  the  ground. 

At  the  corner  of  Alvarado  and  Ocean  View  avenues,  the  oil-sand  was 
struck  between  1180'  and  1250',  and  was  penetrated  to  a  depth  of  1300', 
when  a  small  amount  of  water  was  encountered. 

The  wells  drilled  in  this  area  are  quite  productive.  When  first  drilled, 
they  started  off  at  about  60  bbls.  a  day,  but  in  one  year  the  yield 
became  reduced  to  20  bbls.  a  day. 

3.3.2.  West  of  Alvarado  Street  the  oil-line  widens,  probably  owing  to 
the  lessening  in  the  angle  of  the  dip  of  the  formation,  and  at  Koefed  Street 
it  shows  a  width  of  about  500'.  In  this  portion  of  the  field  it  is  rather 
deep  drilling.  Thus,  in  the  Los  Angeles  Railway  Company's  wells, 
shale  and  sandstone  were  penetrated  to  a  depth  of  about  1010',  at  which 
depth  the  oil-sand  was  struck.     This  was  found  to  be  about  150'  thick. 

In  a  well  drilled  by  Mr.  Kellerman  near  the  south  edge  of  the  oil-line, 
the  oil-sand  was  struck  at  1250',  but  at  1285'  a  large  volume  of  water 
was  encountered.  Mr.  Kellerman  says  that  west  of  Koefed  Street  the 
irregularity  of  the  depth  at  which  the  oil-sand  has  been  struck  leads  to 
the  conclusion  that  there  has  been  considerable  geological  disturbance. 

In  this  portion  of  the  field  the  wells  vary  from  1000'  to  1200'  in  depth, 
and  the  oil-sand  is  thicker  on  the  north  side  of  the  oil-line  than  it  is  on 
the  south  side.  Near  the  southern  edge  of  the  oil-line  there  is  trouble 
from  water.  In  drilling  there  is  also  trouble  from  caving  formation  and 
the  drill-holes  have  to  be  kept  full  of  water.  There  are  no  productive 
wells  south  of  Ocean  View  Avenue. 

3.3.3.  On  Sixth  Street,  near  Hoover,  are  the  wells  of  the  Uncle  Sam 
Oil  Company,  Hardison,  and  others.  The  oil-line  has  been  developed 
for  a  width  of  about  900'.  At  the  south  boundary  of  the  oil-line  the  oil- 
sand  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  about  525',  and  found  to  be  from  60'  to 
90'  thick;  on  the  north  line  it  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  about  200',  and 
found  to  be  about  23'  in  thickness. 

Near  Hoover  Street  the  oil-line  widens  to  1600',  owing  probably  to  the 
lessening  of  the  angle  at  which  the  formation  dips.  The  depth  at 
which  the  oil-sand  was  struck  at  the  southern  edge  of  the  oil-line  in 
this  portion  of  the  field  is  about  500',  and  on  the  northern  edge  about 
250'. 

Immediately  south  of  the  Baptist  College  the  oil-line  may  be  said  to 
extend  from  the  Maltman  wells,  which  are  probably  situated  on  the 
outcrop  of  the  oil-sand,  to  Fifth  Street,  a  distance  of  about  3000'. 


'       THE   LOS   ANGELES   OIL-FIELD.  '  51 

The  depth  at  which  the  oil-sand  has  been  struck  varies  from  about 
300'  on  the  Maltman  tract,  which  is  now  owned  by  the  Los  Angeles  Oil 
and  Transportation  and  Terminal  Company,  to  about  1000'  in  wells 
drilled  by  the  Wilson  Oil  Company,  on  Miami  Street,  between  Fifth 
and  Sixth  streets. 

Between  Hoover  Street  and  Vermont  Avenue  the  principal  oil  com- 
panies are  the  Wilson,  the  Green,  the  Westlake,  the  Wellington,  and 
others.     (See  list  of  Los  Angeles  oil-wells.) 

On  the  Maltman  tract,  and  on  Vermont  Avenue,  between  First  and 
Third  streets,  are  the  wells  of  the  Los  Angeles  Oil  and  Transportation 
and  Terminal  Company.  Here  there  are  thirty-five  wells  from  300'  to 
400'  deep.  For  the  most  part  these  are  small  producers,  and  the  oil  has 
a  gravity  of  about  14.5°  B.  On  the  corner  of  First  and  Vermont  streets 
a  flow  of  warm  water  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  800'. 

3.3.4.  West  of  Vermont  Avenue  are  the  oil-wells  of  the  Hercules  Oil 
Company,  where  the  oil-sand  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  between  300'  to 
400';  and  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Vermont  Avenue  and  Third  Street 
are  the  wells  of  the  Montana  Oil  Company,  where  the  oil-sand  was 
struck  at  a  depth  of  about  400',  and  the  Avells  of  J.  Brown,  in  which  the 
oil-sand  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  about  400'. 

In  the  wells  of  Brown  and  the  Montana  Oil  Company,  the  oil  has  a 
gravity  of  about  17*^  B.  Farther  to  the  westward  prospect  wells  have 
been  drilled  by  the  Hercules  Oil  Company,  on  Rosedale  Avenue,  between 
First  and  Fourth  streets,  where  the  oil-sand  has  been  struck  at  a  depth 
of  about  300'.  Similar  results  were  obtained  by  the  National  Oil  Com- 
pany. 

3.3.5.  West  of  Western  Avenue,  two  prospect  wells  were  drilled  by 
Mitchell,  Stilson  &  Davis,  near  the  corner  of  Western  Avenue  and 
Temple  Street;  they  were  abandoned.  Subsequently  these  gentlemen 
drilled  a  well  farther  west,  from  which  a  large  quantity  of  oil  flowed. 

South  of  the  Wilshire  Boulevard,  wells  were  drilled  by  the  following: 
Parker  &  Proudfoot,  to  a  depth  of  1040';  McGee,  Tait  &  Johnson,  to  a 
depth  of  1260'.     The  formation  is  shale.     No  oil  was  struck. 

West  of  the  boundary  of  the  City  of  Los  Angeles  there  has  been  con- 
siderable prospecting,  the  principal  drilling  being  done  by  Thomas 
Brothers,  who  used  a  hydraulic  rig,  which  drilled  4^"  test-holes.  A 
rock-drill  was  used  to  penetrate  the  hard  strata.  Mr.  Thomas  states 
that  on  the  Rosedale  Cemetery  tract  he  drilled  six  wells,  120'  to  800'  in 
depth,  the  formation  being  sand,  hard  blue  clay  and  shale,  and  oil-sand. 
In  one  of  the  wells  no  oil-sand  was  struck,  but  gravel  and  water  were 
encountered.     The  gravity  of  the  oil  is  between  15°  and  16°  B. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  north  of  the  Rosedale  Cemetery  tract  are 
two  wells  drilled  by  Rommel.  It  is  said  that  one  of  these  wells  is  1000' 
in  depth,  and  that  60'  of  oil-sand  was  penetrated  at  the  depth  of  550'; 
the  oil  having  a  gravity  of  18°  B. 


52  CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

On  the  Croswell  tract,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  the  Rosedale 
Cemetery  tract,  Mr.  Thomas  drilled  two  wells,  one  to  a  depth  of  664' 
and  the  other  to  a  depth  of  175'.  The  formation  is  as  follows:  Loam, 
45';  oil-sand  and  gravel  to  136';  blue  clay  to  200';  sand  to  283'.  At  the 
last-mentioned  depth  a  hard  rock  was  struck. 

About  a  quarter  of  a  mile  northeast  of  the  Croswell  tract,  Mr. 
Thomas  drilled  a  well  for  Garbutt  &  Pitcher.  In  this  well  the  oil-sand 
was  struck  at  a  depth  of  23',  and  penetrated  for  about  96';  then  clay, 
sand,  and  hard,  thin  strata  were  passed  through  to  the  bottom  of  the 
well,  where  more  oil-sand  was  struck. 

West  of  the  Masslein  tract,  and  immediately  west  of  the  well  drilled 
for  Garbutt  &  Pitcher,  are  three  wells  drilled  for  Messrs.  Clark  &  Sher- 
man of  Los  Angeles  (Los  Angeles  Transportation  Company).  These 
wells  are  from  120'  to  521'  deep.  In  four  of  them  the  oil-sand  was 
struck  at  a  depth  of  50'  to  85'.  In  another,  which  is  460'  deep,  the  oil 
was  struck  at  150',  and  oil  flowed  from  the  casing.  (See  record  of  wells 
drilled  west  of  the  city  limits  of  Los  Angeles.) 

In  well  No.  1  of  the  Pico  Oil  Company,  the  following  formations  were 
observed:  Adobe,  20';  yellow  clay  to  60';  sand  and  gravel,  with  4'  of  oil- 
sand,  to  129';  blue  clay  to  167';  sand  rock  and  gravel  to  450';  blue  clay 
to  530';  black  shale  to  538';  blue  clay  to  545';  sand  to  550';  blue  shale, 
with  traces  of  oil,  to  558';  blue  clay  to  560';  black  shale,  with  traces  of 
oil,  to  564';  blue  clay  to  566';  black  shale  to  572';  sand  to  610';  blue 
clay,  with  traces  of  oil,  to  620';  sand  to  622';  blue  clay  to  635';  sand  to 
641';  blue  clay,  with  oil,  to  668';  blue  shale,  with  oil,  to  671';  blue  clay, 
with  oil,  to  708';  shale,  with  black  oil,  to  780';  blue  clay,  with  oil,  to 
822'.     The  oil  at  the  bottom  of  the  well  was  the  best  obtained. 

A  well  drilled  on  the  Abbott  tract  showed  sand  to  43';  gravel  to 
53';  rocks  to  76';  sand  and  shells  to  83';  rocks  to  98';  blue  sand  to  118'; 
clay  to  136';  sand  and  rocks  to  142';  blue  clay  to  144';  sand  and  rocks 
to  167';  clay,  rocks,  and  sand  to  281';  blue  clay  to  347';  sand  to  385'; 
blue  clay  to  390';  blue  clay  to  420';  sand  to  595';  blue,  sticky  clay, 
with  oil,  to  598';  clay,  blue  clay,  to  723'.  More  or  less  oil  was  observed 
in  the  formation  between  the  depths  of  598'  and  720'.  The  formation 
at  the  bottom  of  the  well  was  blue  clay. 

In  most  of  the  wells  south  of  the  La  Brea  ranch  much  gas  has  been 
struck. 

The  cost  of  drilling  with  a  hydraulic  rig  used  by  Thomas  Brothers  is: 
First  300',  35  cents  a  foot;  below  that  depth,  50  cents  a  foot;  below  a 
depth  of  500',  85  cents  a  foot.  There  is  an  extra  expense  when  drilling 
in  rock.  The  hydraulic  rig  can  be  used  for  drilling  wells  to  a  depth  of 
1000'.  The  hydraulic  rig  is  of  value  to  tell  whether  or  not  the  formation  _ 
contains  an  oil-sand,  and  the  thickness  of  the  oil-sand  strata. 

In  the  northern  portion  of  the  La  Brea  ranch,  several  prospect  wells 


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SAN  PEDRO  PENINSULA,  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY.  53 

have  been  drilled  by  the  Rhodes  Oil  Company,  and  in  some  of  these 
strata  of  oil-sand  have  been  penetrated  which  promise  to  be  productive. 
(See  record  of  prospect  wells  west  of  Los  Angeles  city  limits,  also  Fig.  A.) 
The  output  of  oil  from  the  Los  Angeles  wells  was: 

During  1897..- - 1,072,000  bbls. 

During  1898.... 1,168,000    " 

During  1899 1,032,036    " 

These  estimates  are  exclusive  of  the  Maltman  wells.     (See  record  of 
Maltman  wells.) 

The  output  for  1897  was  principally  from  the  Central  field;  that  for 
1898  was  about  half  from  the  Central  field,  and  half  from  the  Eastern 
Extension;  that  for  1899  was  about  43%  from  the  Central  field,  30% 
from  the  Eastern  Extension,  and  27%  from  the  Western  Extension. 


CHAPTER  4. 

SAN  PEDRO  PENINSULA,  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 

8.4.1.  For  several  years  some  attention  has  been  given  to  the  possi- 
bility of  there  being  oil-yielding  formations  on  the  peninsula  of  San 
Pedro.  Hopes  were  encouraged  by  the  discovery  of  a  few  springs  of 
heavy  oil  and  some  outcropping  ledges  of  oil-sand;  and  two  prospect 
wells  were  sunk,  only  to  be  abandoned.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  the 
harbor  construction  work,  undertaken  by  the  United  States  Government, 
would  in  the  near  future  make  San  Pedro  one  of  the  principal  ports  of 
entry  in  California,  the  Mining  Bureau  was  requested  to  examine  the 
San  Pedro  Peninsula,  with  a  view  of  ascertaining  whether  or  not  there 
was  a  reasonable  probability  of  remunerative  oil-yielding  formations 
existing  thereon.  Hence,  the  work  which  is  the  subject  of  this  report 
was  undertaken. 

3.4.2.  The  peninsula  of  San  Pedro  comprises  an  area  of  about  12 
square  miles.  On  the  west  it  is  bounded  by  the  coast-line  extending 
from  Point  Vincent  to  Point  Fermin,  and  on  the  east  by  the  coast-line 
between  Point  Fermin  and  the  town  of  San  Pedro.  From  the  seashore 
the  land  rises  toward  the  interior  of  the  peninsula,  showing  a  series  of 
marine  terraces  and  culminating  in  the  summit  of  Mount  San  Pedro 
(i.  e.,  San  Pedro  station),  at  an  altitude  of  1482'.     (See  Fig.  E.) 

3.4.3.  Throughout  the  greater  portion  of  the  peninsula  the  exposed 
rocks  consist  of  slates  or  shales,  traversed  by  numerous  calcareous  or 
silicious  strata,  and  in  places  they  are  impregnated  with  heavy  petro- 
leum.    These  slates  or  shales  are  for  the  most  part  bleached  to  a  whitish 


54  CALIFORI^rA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

or  yellowish  color,  and  form  a  great  portion  of  the  coast-line.  (See 
Photo  No.  10.)  Near  the  town  of  San  Pedro  the  whitish  slate  or  shale 
gives  place  to  a  tough  clayey  formation,  which  is  more  or  less  bituminous 
in  places. 

In  the  upper  portion  of  the  whitish  shale  formation  there  are  numer- 
ous strata  of  diatomaceous  earth,  and  in  some  places  the  diatomaceous 
strata  appear  to  rest  non-conformably  on  the  strata  beneath  them.  The 
diatomaceous  rocks  can  be  well  observed  in  the  foothills  west  of  the  town 
of  San  Pedro  (see  Stations  11,  12,  13,  14,  Fig.  E);  also  along  the  north- 
west portion  of  the  crest  of  the  main  ridge  of  San  Pedro  Mountain 
(see  Station  50).  At  the  extremity  of  the  peninsula,  i.  e.,  at  Point 
Fermin,  there  are  bituminous  sandstones.  (See  Photo  No.  11.)  At  San 
Pedro  the  most  recent  of  the  rock  formations  is  a  series  of  soft  sand- 
stones, which  rest  non-conformably  on  the  underlying  formations. 
These  soft  sandstones  are  well  exposed  near  the  town  of  San  Pedro,  and 
on  Dead  Man's  Island  they  contain  numerous  fossils  of  Quaternary  age. 
All  the  aforementioned  formations  probably  rest  on  metamorphic  rocks 
(principally  glaucophane  and  quartz  schists),  which  are  exposed  in  a 
canon  on  the  Rancho  Los  Palos  Verdes  (see  Stations  44  and  45),  or  on 
eruptive  rocks.  In  the  southern  portion  of  the  peninsula  the  only  traces 
of  the  metamoTphic  rocks  are  a  few  bowlders  of  glaucophane  schist  and 
some  sandstone  strata,  which  are  practically  made  up  of  comminuted 
schist.  Extending  through  the  heart  of  the  San  Pedro  Mountain  is  a 
mass  of  eruptive  rocks,  which  may  be  observed  at  Stations  47  and  38, 
and  at  other  places.  At  Station  37,  on  the  coast-line  west  of  Portuguese 
Bend,  calcareous  strata  overlie  eruptive  rocks;  at  Station  40,  on  the 
north  slope  of  San  Pedro  Mountain,  the  whitish  shale  is  interstratified 
with  eruptive  rock;  at  Station  39  the  whitish  shale  is  penetrated  by  a 
dike,  and  at  Long's  Point  sandstone  and  bleached  shale  are  traversed 
by  numerous  small  fissures  filled  with  what  appears  to  be  decomposed 
eruptive  rock.  At  the  last-named  point  the  sandstone  contains  numer- 
ous nodules  of  barite. 

3.4.4.  The  topography  of  the  peninsula  of  San  Pedro  shows  a  series 
of  raised  beaches,  the  flat  tops  of  which  furnish  many  excellent  examples 
of  marine  denudation,  modified  by  subaerial  erosion.  (See  Photo  No.  12.) 
The  bituminous  slates  or  shales  are  crumpled.   (See  Photo  No.  35.) 

3.4.5.  In  the  territory  under  discussion,  the  geological  disturbance 
has  been  so  great  that  it  would  require  a  lengthy  investigation  to  obtain 
the  data  requisite  to  form  a  map  showing  all  the  structural  details, 
even  if  there  were  adequate  rock-exposures.  Moreover,  the  results  would 
not  contribute  sufiicient  information  on  the  question  of  petroleum 
deposits  to  warrant  our  department  undertaking  such  a  task. 

3.4.6.  At  several  points  there  are  slight  exudations  of  heavy  bitu- 
men from  the  bituminous  shales;  and  on  the  shore-line,  between  Stations 


^^, 


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PHOTO  11.    Bituminous  Sandstone,  Point  Fermin,  San  Pedro  Peninsula, 

Los  Angeles  County. 


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PHOTO  12.    Wave-Cut  Terraces,  San  Pedro  Peninsula,  Los  Angeles  County. 


SAN    PEDRO   PENINSULA,    LOS    ANGELES    COUNTY.  55 

3  and  4,  there  are  two  veins  of  asphaltum  which  show  a  thickness  of 
from  2"  to  6". 

3.4.7.  At  San  Pedro  two  wells  have  been  drilled  by  prospectors  for 
oil.  One  of  these  wells  was  drilled  in  1895  by  the  San  Pedro  Oil  Com- 
pany. The  record  of  this  well  shows:  Adobe  soil  to  100';  dark-colored 
shale  and  brea  to  400';  light-colored  shale  to  550';  brown  shale  to  850'. 
The  water  was  cased  off  at  150'.  It  is  said  that  small  quantities  of- 
heavy  oil  were  found  beneath  thin  and  hard  strata.  This  well  was 
abandoned  on  account  of  the  loss  of  the  tools,  which  became  fast  in  the 
well.     San  Pedro  Oil  Company  of  Los  Angeles  is  the  owner. 

Another  well  was  drilled  about  1  mile  south  of  the  center  of  the  town 
of  San  Pedro,  near  the  building  known  as  the  "Old  Pierson  Hotel."  It 
is  said  that  this  well  is  495'  deep,  that  the  formation  penetrated  is 
nearly  all  clay,  or  clay-shale,  with  a  little  brea,  and  that  a  stratum  of 
asphaltum  was  struck  at  the  bottom  of  the  well.  It  is  also  said  that 
this  Avell  was  abandoned  on  account  of  the  death  of  the  owner. 

It  is  reported  that  rocks  smelling  of  petroleum  have  been  penetrated 
by  many  wells  which  have  been  sunk  for  water  at  San  Pedro.  Thus,  in 
a  well  dug  by  A.  Haller  in  the  outskirts  of  San  Pedro,  the  formation  is: 
Black  adobe  soil  to  3';  yellowish  adobe  to  12';  soft  sandstone  with  sea- 
shells  to  14'  (this  stratum  is  nearly  horizontal);  whitish  rock  inter- 
stratified  with  brown  rock  to  22';  hard  limestone  to  24';  white  clay 
(dipping  south)  to  26';  white,  soft,  probably  diatomaceous,  rock  to  34'; 
black  shale  (dipping  to  the  north)  to  42'. 

3.4.8.  On  the  shore-line  near  the  town  of  San  Pedro,  as  previously 
mentioned,  there  are  some  formations  of  tough  clay  and  clay-shales; 
these  rocks  are  dark  in  color  and  somewhat  bituminous.  They  bear  a 
physical  resemblance  to  certain  oil-yielding  shales  in  the  Puente  Hills, 
but  the  shales  near  San  Pedro  are  so  much  disturbed  that  they  fail  to 
show  the  position  of  the  dark-colored  shales  with  regard  to  the  bleached 
bituminous  shales. 

3.4.9.  North  of  Resort  Point  on  the  Rancho  Los  Palos  Verdes  and 
along  the  shore-line  toward  Redondo,  the  only  rock  exposed  consists  of 
whitish  shale  and  a  soft  sandstone  which  rests  non-conformably  on  the 
shales.  On  the  Palos  Verdes  ranch,  near  the  seashore,  a  well  was  sunk 
to  a  depth  of  several  hundred  feet.  The  formation  penetrated  is  a 
calcareo-silicious  shale.  It  is  said  that  a  small  amount  of  heavy  oil 
was  obtained.     It  was  accompanied  by  much  water. 

3.4.10.  From  the  foregoing  it  appears  that  although  bituminous  shales 
are  exposed  on  the  peninsula  of  San  Pedro,  with  the  exception  of  the 
bituminous  sand  at  San  Pedro  no  definite  body  of  oil-sand  was  observed, 
and  the  shale  is  irregular  and  broken.  The  shale  composing  a  great 
portion  of  the  San  Pedro  Peninsula  is  the  hard  silicious  shale  which 
seldom  contains  valuable  oil-yielding  strata. 


56  CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING   BUREAU. 

The  rocks  throughout  portions  of  the  San  Pedro  Peninsula  show 
metamorphism,  and  are  disturbed  by  the  intrusion  of  igneous  rocks. 
These  features,  together  with  the  broken  character  of  the  formation  in 
general,  bespeak  unfavorable  conditions  for  the  existence  of  valuable 
quantities  of  oil.  This  view  of  the  case  is  strengthened  by  the  fact  that 
the  only  seepage  of  petroleum  seen  in  the  shale  formation  is  of  a  very 
heavy  kind,  being  practically  asphaltum;  and  that  the  sandstone  for- 
mation, which  overlies  the  whitish  shales  at  Point  Fermin,  is  impreg- 
nated with  petroleum.  It  is  possible  that  if  the  bituminous  sandstone 
exposed  at  Point  Fermin  could  be  struck  at  a  depth  of  more  than  500', 
it  might  be  found  to  yield  oil  in  valuable  quantities.  Unfortunately, 
only  a  remnant  of  this  sandstone  is  exposed,  and  the  strike  of  the  for- 
mation shows  that  its  only  extension  lies  beneath  the  ocean.  North  of 
township  5  south,  the  rocky  formations  are  too  much  obscured  by  allu- 
vium to  admit  of  geological  investigation. 


CHAPTER  5. 


THE  SAN  FERNANDO  OR  NEWHALL  MINING  DISTRICT. 

3.5.1.  The  San  Fernando  petroleum  mining  district,  commonly 
known  as  the  Newhall  district,  is  situated  on  the  north  slope  of  the  San 
Fernando  Mountains,  about  25  miles  northwest  of  Los  Angeles.  As  far 
as  the  records  show,  this  district  is  the  oldest  producing  oil-field  in  Cali- 
fornia. During  the  year  ending  June  30,  1900,  this  district  attracted 
much  attention,  and  several  new  companies  commenced  operations 
therein.  During  1899,  however,  practically  the  only  company  pro- 
ducing oil  in  this  field  was  the  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company,  which  has 
been  a  producing  oil  company  for  more  than  twenty  years.  The  prin- 
cipal wells  of  this  company  are  in  Pico  Canon,  about  6  miles  southwest 
of  Newhall  (see  Photo  No.  29),  in  Elsmere  Canon,  about  4  miles  south- 
east of  that  town.  The  recent  developments  in  the  San  Fernando 
district  are  hereinafter  recorded  in  detail. 

3.5.2.  The  character  of  the  rocks  exposed  in  this  district  leads  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  principal  oil-3'ielding  formations  are  certain  sand- 
stones and  shales  which  form  the  lower  portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene 
formations,  and  some  of  the  wells  may  penetrate  sandstone  of  the  Lower 
Neocene  series. 

3.5.3.  At  a  point  in  Elsmere  Canon,  to  which  the  writer's  attention 
was  directed  by  Mr.  H.  Hamlin  of  Los  Angeles,  sandstones  containing 
fossils  of  the  Middle  Neocene  epoch  are  found  resting  non-conformably 


THE    SAN   FERNANDO    OR    NEWHALL    MINING    DISTRICT. 


57 


on  hard  sandstones  resembling   the   Eocene  sandstones   of   the  Sespe 
district.     The  relation  of  these  formations  may  be  seen  in  Fig.  8. 

3,5.4.  One  remarkable  feature  of  the  San  Fernando  district  is  that 
petroleum  has  been  found  in  the  crystalline  rocks.  The  central  mass  of 
that  portion  of  the  San  Fernando  range  which  lies  to  the  south  of 
Placeritos  Canon  is  formed  largely  of  crystalline  rock,  and,  as  herein- 
after noted,  in  June,  1900,  several  companies  were  drilling  in  these 
crystalline  rocks.     It  is  an  established  fact  that  a  small  amount  of  oil 

FIG. 8. 

CPOSS  SECT/ON  SHOW/NG  NONCONrORMAB/UTY /A/ 

ELSMERE  CAf/OM    -   ^ANFERNA/\fDO   0/JLJ}/ST;R/CT. 

Published  by  Ifje  Permission  of 
^  B  L/PP/A/COTT  c£ 
L  OS  Angbl£S 


has  been  obtained  from  crystalline  rocks  in  the  Placeritos  Canon  at 
Newhall.  The  sample  of  this  oil  seen  by  the  writer  was  of  a  very  low 
specific  gravity;  it  was  quite  transparent  and  of  a  light  straw  color. 
Since  the  writer  visited  the  locality,  wells  have  been  drilled  there  which 
are  said  to  be  productive.  It  is  stated  that  the  formation  penetrated 
is  crystalline  rocks  overlying  sedimentary  strata. 


CHAPTER  6. 

TERRITORY    BETWEEN   NEWPORT,   IN    ORANGE    COUNTY, 
AND  THE  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY  LINE. 


\ 


3.6.1.  In  1898  certain  representative  gentlemen  of  Orange  County 
requested  the  California  State  Mining  Bureau  to  examine  the  geological 
formations  which  form  the  coast-line  between  Newport  and  San  Diego 
County  and  extend  inland  toward  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains,  with  a 
view  of  determining  whether  or  not  that  portion  of  Orange  County  has 


58  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

value  as  oil-territory.  Since  a  cursory  examination  had  shown  that  the 
geological  formations  in  that  area  resemble  those  of  the  Puente  Hills, 
and  some  prospects  of  oil  were  reported  to  have  been  discovered 
therein,  the  writer  was  detailed  to  make  the  examination  which  had 
been  requested. 

3.6.2.  The  territory  examined  comprises  an  area  of  about  300  square 
miles.  It  is  traversed  by  two  principal  ridges  of  hills,  which  run  in  a 
northeasterly  direction.  One  of  these  ridges  extends  along  the  coast 
from  a  point  near  the  southeast  corner  of  Orange  County,  marked 
Green  Ridge  in  Fig.  F,  to  San  Joaquin  Peak  in  the  San  Joaquin  Hills, 
Avhich  peak  rises  to  an  elevation  of  1185'.  The  other  ridge  extends  in  a 
northwest  direction  from  Station  35  (marked  in  Fig.  F  as  State  Monu- 
ment), about  5  miles  from  the  coast-line,  to  and  beyond  Station  70. 
The  ridge  nearest  the  coast  is  cut  through  by  the  San  Juan,  Aliso,  and 
Laguna  creeks.  The  San  Juan  and  Aliso  creeks  take  their  rise  in 
the  Santa  Ana  Mountains,  and  the  Laguna  Creek  has  its  source  in 
Laguna  Lake  on  the  San  Joaquin  ranch,  and  in  sundry  springs  between 
Laguna  Lake  and  the  ocean.  Thus,  the  territory  referred  to  is  in  part 
hilly  or  mountainous,  and  in  part  mesa  land.  Its  southern  end  is 
nearly  all  mountainous  pasture;  but  toward  the  northwest  there  is  a 
wide  mesa  devoted  to  agriculture.  There  is,  also,  some  good  agricul- 
tural and  orchard  land  along  the  valleys  of  the  San  Juan  and  Aliso 
creeks. 

3.6.3.  The  rocks  forming  the  ridge  nearest  the  coast  are  a  conglom- 
erate characterized  by  angular  masses  of  glaucophane  schist.  In  some 
places  these  masses  look  as  if  they  were  in  place,  but  a  close  inspection 
shows  that  they  are  cemented  to  fragments  of  other  rock.  This  con- 
glomerate also  contains  numerous  pebbles  and  angular  fragments  of 
white  quartz.  It  is  well  exposed  at  San  Juan  Point,  whence  it  can  be 
traced  in  a  northwesterly  direction.  It  is  said  that  the  Sea  Lion  rocks, 
near  San  Mateo  Point,  are  composed  of  a  similar  formation. 

Resting  with  probable  non-conformability  on  this  conglomerate  is  a 
whitish  sandstone  resembling  the  whitish  sandstone  seen  in  Santiago 
Canon,  and  containing  fossils  which  are  considered  of  Lower  Neocene 
age  by  Dr.  Merriam.  This  sandstone  is  exposed  near  the  San  Mateo 
and  San  Juan  points  (see  Photo  No.  13);  it  forms  the  great  mass  of  the 
San  Joaquin  Hills,  as  is  shown  on  Fig.  F. 

Resting  on  this  sandstone  is  a  widely  extending  formation  of  shale. 
In  many  places  this  shale  has  a  purplish  color,  and  some  of  it  when 
heated  gives  out  a  faint  odor  of  petroleum.  The  upper  portion  of  this 
formation  is  interstratified  with  thin-bedded  sandy  strata;  the  shale 
passes  into  a  tough  clay,  yellowish  at  the  surface,  but  probably  of  bluish 
color  at  no  great  depth. 

The   central   portion  of  this  formation  is   tough  shale.     The  lowest 


PHOTO  13.    Sandstone  Formation  on  Shore-Line,  Orange  County. 


.^ic^BKCasy 


PHOTO  14.    Conglomerate  Resting  Non-conformably  on  Sandstone, 
San  Juan  Capistrano,  Orange  County. 


BETWEEN    NEWPORT,   OEANGE   COUNTY,   AND    SAN    DIEGO   LINE.  59 

portions  of  the  formation  are  white  or  whitish,  and  in  some  places 
resemble  diatomaceous  earth.  These  shales  are  similar  in  appearance 
to  the  Middle  Neocene  shales  of  the  Puente  Hills. 

This  shale  formation  extends  inland  toward  the  northernmost  ridge 
of  hills  previously  mentioned.  For  some  distance  inland,  the  prevail- 
ing dip  is  to  the  north  at  an  angle  of  less  than  20°.  Still  farther  north 
the  shales  show  an  undulating  structure,  and,  for  the  most  part,  dip  at 
a  very  low  angle.  As  the  northernmost  ridge  of  hills  is  approached, 
the  prevailing  dip  is  to  the  south,  but  it  is  irregular  and  greatly  increases. 

3.6.4.  These  shales  overlie  the  sandstone  on  the  north  slope  of  the 
San  Juan  Hills  and  form  the  bedrock  throughout  a  great  portion  of  the 
mesa  lands.  They  are  exposed  at  many  points  along  the  Aliso  Creek 
toward  El  Toro.  In  this  direction  there  is  an  extensive  deposit  of  white 
or  light-brown  shale,  the  lower  portion  of  which  is  interstratified  with 
yellowish  sandstone,  and  in  some  places  with  ledges  of  limestone. 
Some  of  these  limestone  deposits  are  very  extensive,  and  much  lime- 
stone has  been  shipped  therefrom.  In  some  places  the  limestones  contain 
large  quantities  of  poorly  preserved  Neocene  fossils.  These  shales  also 
form  a  fringe  of  low  cliffs  along  the  coast-line  between  Laguna  and  the 
mouth  of  the  Santa  Ana  River.  The  whitish  shale  underlies  the  shale 
described  in  the  preceding  paragraph. 

3.6.5.  On  the  west  bank  of  the  San  Juan  Creek,  near  its  mouth,  a  con- 
glomerate formation  rests  non-conformably  on  the  eroded  surfaces  of  the 
whitish  sandstone.  (See  Photo  No.  14.)  It  probably  belongs  to  the 
same  geological  horizon  as  the  formations  observed  at  Stations  60,  41, 
66,  7,  and  65,  where  conglomerate  and  very  soft  sandstones  are  exposed. 
At  Station  7  a  tusk  and  part  of  the  bones  of  a  mastodon  were  found, 
and  a  small  collection  of  fossils  was  obtained  from  a  well  dug  in  this 
formation.  These  fossils  are  of  Upper  Neocene  (late  Pliocene)  age, 
corresponding  to  the  Merced  series.  (See  table  of  fossils  No.  IV.)  A 
gray  sandstone  is  exposed  on  Aliso  Creek  near  El  Toro,  which  belongs 
to  this  horizon. 

It  is  probable  that  this  formation  is  more  extensive  than  is  shown  on 
Fig.  F,  but  it  can  only  be  indicated  where  the  exposed  rocks  show  it  to 
exist. 

3.6.6.  In  the  northern  ridge  of  hills  previously  mentioned  the  same 
sequence  of  formation  is  met  with  as  is  seen  along  the  coast-line,  namely, 
conglomerate  largely  made  up  of  fragments  of  glaucophane  schist  over- 
lain by  whitish  sandstone  and  clay-shale.  Along  the  north  base  of 
these  hills  there  appears  to  be  an  extensive  fault,  for  there  is  a  sudden 
drop  of  about  500',  besides  a  sharply  defined  line  between  the  conglom- 
erate and  the  sandstone. 

3.6.7.  An  inspection  of  the  territor.y  herein  described  leads  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  shale  overlaps  the  whitish  sandstone,  and  for  these 


60  CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

reasons:  In  most  places  the  whitish  sandstone  is  found  resting  on  the 
glaucophane  conglomerate,  and  the  shale  upon  the  sandstone,  there  being 
quite  an  interval  of  sandstone  between  the  conglomerate  and  the  shale. 
In  other  places,  however,  there  is  no  sandstone  exposed  between  the 
conglomerate  and  the  shale.  The  alluvium  obscures  the  point  of  contact 
between  the  conglomerate  and  the  formation  overlying  it,  but  the  short 
space  between  the  exposed  shale  and  the  conglomerate  is  suggestive  of 
an  overlap.  This  opinion  is  strengthened  by  finding  whitish  shale  rest- 
ing on  the  conglomerate.  Still,  no  very  marked  difference  between  the 
dip  of  the  sandstone  and  the  dip  of  the  shale  was  observed. 

3.6.8.  The  writer  made  a  careful  reconnaissance  of  the  shore-line 
between  Newport  and  Laguna,  and  of  the  north  end  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Hills. 

The  greater  part  of  this  area  is  covered  by  mountains,  which  rise  to  a 
maximum  height  of  11 85'.  Toward  the  north  the  mountains  slope  down 
to  the  Santa  Ana  Valley,  and  toward  the  west  to  Newport  Bay.  At  the 
north  and  west  the  mountains  are  bordered  by  marshes  and  peat  lands  of 
considerable  extent.  On  the  south,  an  ancient  strand,  now  elevated  50' 
or  100'  above  the  ocean,  forms  a  narrow  bench  between  the  mountains 
and  the  seashore. 

The  mountains  are,  for  the  most  part,  formed  of  sandstone,  and  in  a 
few  places  eruptive  rocks  are  seen.  The  eruptive  rocks  are  exposed  at 
the  northern  end  of  the  San  .Joaquin  Hills,  and  at  Abalone  Point  they 
are  indicated  on  Fig.  F  by  horizontal  wavy  lines. 

For  a  distance  of  about  4  miles  along  the  shore-line  southeast  of  New- 
port Bay,  the  sandstone  is  bordered  by  shale,  which,  as  before  mentioned, 
corresponds  to  the  shale  formation  in  the  Puente  Hills.  In  some  places 
this  shale  is  highly  silicified. 

3.6.9.  At  Rocky  Point  these  shales  rest  on  hard  sandstone  impregnated 
with  petroleum,  and  at  several  places  in  a  distance  of  about  half  a  mile 
along  the  shore-line  north  of  Rocky  Point,  strata  of  oil-sand  are  exposed 
which  are  overlain  by  shale.  The  oil-sand  and  the  shale  are  inclined 
at  a  great  angle. 

About  one  mile  north  of  the  town  of  Newport  two  formations  are 
exposed.  The  lower  of  these  consists  of  shales  resembling  the  shale 
formation  of  the  Puente  Hills.  The  prevailing  strike  of  these  shales,  as 
shown  by  the  exposed  rocks,  is  N.  50°  W.,  and  the  angle  of  the  dip 
ranges  from  15°  to  30°.  A  reconnaissance  of  this  locality  shows  that 
the  shale  has  been  thrown  into  undulations  producing  a  variable  dip  of 
comparatively  low  angle.  At  one  point  a  stratum  of  dry  oil-sand  2'  in 
thickness  is  interbedded  with  the  shale,  and  in  several  places  this  shale 
is  interstratified  with  thin  strata  of  dry  oil-sand  a  few  inches  in  thick- 
ness. At  several  places  the  shale  is  traversed  by  fissures  filled  with  dry 
oil-sand. 


PROSPECT   WELLS   IN    SAN    DIEGO   COUNTY.  61 

The  uppermost  formation  consists  of  soft  sandstone  and  yellowish 
clay-shale,  some  hard  calcareous  strata,  and  some  which  appear  to  be 
made  up  largely  of  diatomaceous  material.  Some  of  the  strata  contain 
Quaternary  fossils.     (See  table  of  fossils  No.  V.) 

The  prevailing  strike  of  this  formation  is  east  of  north,  and  the  angle 
of  the  dip  ranges  from  10°  to  20°. 

The  lowest  stratum  of  this  formation  is  a  soft  sandstone  impregnated 
with  petroleum.  The  source  of  the  petroleum  appears  to  be  the  under- 
l3dng  shales. 

3.6.10.  From  the  foregoing  it  appears  that  the  only  portion  of  the 
territory  investigated  between  Newport  and  the  San  Diego  county-line, 
which  would  justify  exploitation  by  the  drill,  is  the  territory  around 
Newport  Bay. 

Since  this  territory  was  examined  by  the  writer  prospect  wells  have 
been  drilled  at  Newport  Bay  by  the  Newport  and  the  Santa  Ana  oil  com- 
panies.    (See  Orange  County — Prospect  Wells.) 


CHAPTER  7. 

PROSPECT  WELLS  IN  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY. 

3.7.1.  Monarch  Oil  Company  (of  San  Diego)  has  a  well  situated 
about  half  a  mile  east  of  False  Bay,  near  San  Diego.  In  October,  1900, 
this  well  was  800'  deep.     Drilling. 

3.7.2.  La  Jolla  Oil  Company  has  a  well  situated  about  midway 
between  La  Jolla  and  Pacific  Beach,  and  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
from  the  ocean.     In  October,  1900,  this  well  was  120'  deep.     Drilling. 

3.7.3.  San  Diego  Oil  Company  has  a  well  about  one  mile  east  of 
Encinitas,  and  in  October,  1900,  this  well  was  about  400' deep.    Drilling. 

3.7.4.  Carlsbad  (well  near).  The  writer  is  informed  that  a  company 
is  drilling  between  Carlsbad  and  Oceanside. 


62 


CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 


PRODUCTIVE  AND  PROSPECT  WELLS  IN  LOS  ANGELES 

AND  ORANGE  COUNTIES. 


CHAPTER  1. 


PRODUCTIVE  OIL-WELLS  IN  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 

4.1.1.  The  portions  of  Los  Angeles  County  wherein  productive  oil- 
wells  have  been  obtained  are:  the  City  of  Los  Angeles,  that  portion  of 
the  Puente  Hills  which  lies  west  of  Brea  Canon,  and  Newhall. 

THE  LOS  ANGELES  OIL-FIELD. 

4.1.2.  The  Los  Angeles  oil-field  may  be  said  to  be  divided  into  three 
sections: 

The  Central  (or  old)  field  (see  Photo  No.  7),  which  extends  from  the 
corner  of  Victor  and  Temple  streets  to  the  corner  of  Bonnie  Brae  Street 
and  Miramar  Street,  formerly  called  Ocean  View  Avenue; 

The  Eastern  field  (see  Photos  Nos.  6  and  8),  which  extends  from  the 
Sisters'  Hospital  to  the  Catholic  Cemetery;  and 

The  Western  field,  which  extends  in  a  westerly  direction  from  the 
corner  of  Bonnie  Brae  and  Miramar  streets  to  the  city  limits. 

These  fields  cover  an  area  of  rather  more  than  3  miles  in  length,  and 
vary  in  width  from  about  500'  to  more  than  1000'.  Within  this  area 
about  1200  wells  have  been  drilled,  and  at  the  end  of  June,  1900,  the 
number  of  producing  wells  was  663. 

4.1.3.  The  productive  wells  were  distributed  as  follows: 


Central 
Field. 

Eastern 
Field. 

Western 
Field. 

Number  of  producing  wells  June  30,  1900 

338 

446,720 

150 
315,316 

175 

Product  during  1899,  in  barrels 

270,000 

Total  product  of  Los  Angeles  oil-field  in  1899  was  1,032,036  bbls. 


PRODUCTIVE    OIL-WELLS    IN    LOS    ANGELES   COUNTY.  63 
OIL-PRODUCERS  IN  LOS  ANGELES  CITY. 

4.1.4.  The  following  is  a  list  of  companies  engaged  in  oil-mining  in 
the  City  of  Los  Angeles  in  July,  1900,  together  with  a  statement  of  the 
number  of  productive  wells: 

No.  of 
Wells. 

American  Crude  Oil  Co.;  Easton  &  Eldridge,  121  S.  Broadway 14 

Alderson,  J.  H. ;  807  S.  Hope  Street. ._ 5 

Acme  Oil  Co.;  405  and  407  N.  Main  Street 1 

Alton,  John  ;  Farmers  and  Merchants  Bank 5 

Arizona  Oil  Co. ;  227  Byrne  Building 8 

Alpha  Oil  Co.;  342  Byrne  Building... 7 

Bayer  &  Roberts;  746  S.  Broadway...  . 4 

Big  "5"  Oil  Co. ;  care  Columbia  Savings  Bank 3 

Bernard,  C.  A.;  cor.  Alameda  and  Second  streets 5 

Burns,  John;  932  Court  Circle 2 

Blunt,  C.  A.;  149  Kern  Street l 

Berry  Barton  Oil  Co.;  235  W.  Third  Street 1 

Bobst,  M.;  429  Victor  Street 1 

Brown,  John;  cor.  Vermont  Avenue  and  Third  Street 2 

Burlington  Oil  Co. ;  Doran  &  Brouse,  cor.  First  Street  and  Belmont  Avenue    15 

Consolidated  Oil  Co. ;  Frost  Building,  room  610 38 

Chase  Nursery  Co. ;  care  Odonnell  Oil  Co.,  Hellman  Block 3 

Continental  Oil  Co. ;  Laughlin  Building 8 

Carr,  Mrs.  J. ;  cor.  Lake  Shore  Avenue  and  First  Street l 

Cates,  A.  M.  (receiver);  310  Currier  Block. _ 2 

Carter,  H.  V.;  rooms  12-18,  254  S.  Broadway 2 

City  Brick  Co.;  125  E.  Second  Street 4 

Crown  Oil  Co. ;  cor.  Kern  and  Colton  streets 5 

City  Water  Co. ;  office,  Los  Angeles  Street 2 

Croswell  Oil  Co. ;  Edgeware  Road  and  Omaha  Street 4 

Croswell,  M.S.;  Edgeware  Road  and  Omaha  Street 6 

C.  &  H.  Oil  Co.;  C.  B.  Boothe,  226  Los  Angeles  Street 3 

Clampit,  E.  A. ;  1442  Court  Street 5 

Connell,  D.  A. ;  cor.  Ionia  and  HoUiday  streets 2 

Cake,  M.  E. ;  cor.  Grand  Avenue  and  Seventh  Street 4 

College  Oil  Co. ;  1633  W.  First  Street 5 

California  Crude  Oil  Co. ;  419  and  420  Douglas  Block.  Drilling  July  5,  1900 

Doran  &  Brouse ;  cor.  First  Street  and  Belmont  Avenue 6 

Davis  &  Harrison ;  815  Alpine  Street H 

Daggett  &  Fletcher;  1342  Calumet  Avenue 14 

Davis,  Cook  &  Co. ;  Alameda  Street 1 

Davis,  Frank  ;  815  Alpine  Street 4 

Dryden,  Wm. ;  1071  W.  Jefferson  Street 9 

Delta  Oil  Co. ;  McCarthy  Bros.,  Henne  Block 1 

Enterprise  Oil  Co. ;  135  W.  First  Street 1 

Eagen,  S. ;  care  S.  Clark,  cor.  Rockwood  Avenue  and  Lake  Shore 1 

Easterday  Bros.;  cor.  Temple  Street  and  Boylston  Avenue 3 

East  Side  Oil  Co. ;  care  I.  W.  Stewart,  Gardner  &  Zellner  Block 2 

Evans,  T.  H. ;  care  Tubbs  &  Evans,  New  Depot  Street 1 

Evansville  Oil  Co. ;  cor.  First  Street  and  Union'Avenue 1 

Elton,  C;  W.  First  Street ]  1 

Fergusson,  Mrs.  M.  L.;  649  S.  Hope  Street _ ___  .  i 

Frazier,  Mrs. ;  123  E.  Fourth  Street 1 

Ford,  G.;  608  E.  Fifth  Street \[__  2 

Green  &  Whittier ;  1633  W.  First  Street 4 

Green,  B.  E.;  1633  W.  First  Street 2 


64  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

No.  of 
Wells. 

Green,  R. ;  1633  W.  First  Street 7 

Gorham  &  Boeck ;  cor.  Court  and  Tolucca  streets 7 

Graham  Sisters  ;  131  N.  Union  Avenue 2 

Green  &  Young;  1633  W.  First  Street 4 

Giegrich,  G. ;  526  Bernardo  Street 1 

Green  Mountain  Oil  Co.;  Bartlett  Music  Co Drilling  July  20,  1900 

Headley,  A.  H. ;  cor.  Bellevue  and  Ida  streets 2 

Huntley,  E.;  1155  Temple  Street 7 

Harrison,  H.  H. ;  821  Hinton  Avenue. -. 2 

Hollingsworth,  H.  T. ;  347  Wilcox  Building 2 

Hughes  &  Strasburg;  15  Baker  Block 1 

Hansen,  C;  815  N.  Figueroa  Street 2 

Hammond,  Mr. ;  717  S.  Union  Avenue 1 

Harris,  R.  T. ;  Santa  Ana,  Orange  County 2 

Hardison  &  H. ;  Ojai  Building 8 

Hervey,  Mrs. ;  cor.  Omaha  Street  and  Edgeware  Road... _ l 

Hughes  Bros.  Oil  Co.;  15  Baker  Block.. 1 

Hubbell  Oil  Co.;  Bullard  Block 2 

Hall,  Chas.  Victor,  Oil  Co.;  Wilcox  Block 34 

Joyce,  T.  F. ;  971  Yale  Street 7 

Knight  &  Son;  315  Boylston  Avenue i 22 

Korber,  K. ;  1320  Omaha  Street 1 

Kellerman,  J.  M. ;  Ocean  View  Avenue 1 

Kellum,  F.  R. ;  235  W.  Third  Street 1 

Los  Angeles  Transfer  Co 1 

Los  Angeles  Transfer  and  Terminal  Co. ;  222  W.  Fourth  Street 43 

Lamb  &  Hanna;  504  Douglas  Block 1 

Los  Angeles  R.  R.  Co.;  office,  Central  Avenue  and  Sixth  Street 19 

Lowry,  W.  P.;  985  Buena  Vista  Street 2 

Lawrence,  G.;  334  S.  Main  Street 1 

Lamb,  W.  A.;  1929  Ocean  View  Avenue 2 

Leslie  &  Spurling ;  W.  P.  Book,  care  Batcheler,  Henne  Block 2 

Leslie,  C.  C.  L. ;  132  Quebec  Street 1 

Lake  Shore  Oil  Co. ;  Laing  &  Wiggin 1 

Longstreet  &  Carhart ;  2403  S.  Grand  Avenue 3 

Lewis,  T.  L. ;  Rockwood  Street  and  Belmont  Avenue 1 

Los  Angeles  Oil  and  Trans.  Co. ;  201  Bradbury  Building 5 

Maier  &  Zobelein;  Aliso  Street  Brewery 7 

Martin, J.B.;  1447  Bush  Street - 3 

McGarry,  D.  M.;  103  S.  Broadway 1 

Maunatt,  I 4 

Magee,  Mrs.;  D.  M.  McDonald  (Hellman  Block). 1 

Mattern,  DeCamp  <fe  Co. ;  Frost  Building 1 

Montana  Oil  Co. ;  Bartlett  &  Jack,  360  S.  Broadway 3 

McDonald,  Nance  &  Co.;  Hellman  Block 3 

Mellen  &  Book;  cor.  Ocean  View  and  San  Joaquin  Street 2 

Nelson,  R.  T. ;  2403  S.  Grand  Avenue 2 

North,  E.;  1726  W.  First  Street 4 

Newman  &  Johnson  ;  109  S.  Broadway 2 

Oil  Lake  Fuel  Co. ;  601  Laughlin  Building 1 

Off  CriideOil  Co.;  114  South  Union  Avenue 6 

Odonnell  Oil  Co. ;  225  Hellman  Block... 7 

Odonnell,  T.  A.;  225  Hellman  Block 1 

Oceanic  Oil  Co.;  Byrne  Building 5 

Parker  Oil  Co. :  224  Henne  Block. 47 

Pennsylvania  Oil  Co.:  324-326  Laughlin  Building 8 

Phoenix  Oil  Co.;  717  S.  Union  Avenue 1 

Parker  &  Morrill ;  care  M.  Morrill,  cor.  Court  and  Douglas  and  Thurston  AVell 8 


PRODUCT-IVE    OIL-WELLS   IN    LOS    ANGELES   COUNTY.  65 

No.  of 
Wells. 

Puente  Oil  Co. ;  Room  14,  Baker  Block 3 

Powell,  J.  J. ;  care  Mr.  Lloyd,  New  Wilson  Block 2 

Palm  Oil  Co. ;  Stimson  Block,  Rommel  Oil  Co 4 

Park  Oil  Co. ;  care  Easton  &  Eldridge  Co.,  S.  Broadway 16 

Pollard,  John;  315  Boylston  Avenue 1 

Poindexter  &  Wadsworth  ;  305  W.  Second  Street,  Frost  Building 1 

Robinson,  Geo.;  232  W.  First  Street 1 

Ruddy,  Burns  &  M.;  care  C.  H.  Mathay,  Alvarado  and  Ninth  streets 1 

Rommel  Oil  Co. ;  Stimson  Block. 3 

Robinson,  G.  W.,  M.  D.  Oil  Co.;  care  of  Mr.  Morrison,  Metcalf  &  Temple 22 

Reese,  A.  D. ;  corner  College  and  Buena  Vista  streets 6 

Rex  Crude  Oil  Co. ;  Easton  &  Eldridge  Co.,  S.Broadway. 63 

Schwarzendahl,  L. ;  1663  W.  First  Street 2 

Sommers  &  McClannahan;  517  California  Street 1 

Skinner  &  Morgan;  care  Morgan-Perry  Lumber  Co 3 

Slocan,  J.  H.;  care  California  Hardware  Co 1 

Shirley,  I.  W. ;  Gardner  &  Zellner  Block 12 

Saunders,  W.  P.;  2315  S.  Flower  Street 2 

Stratton  &  Tiedemann ;  Louis  Supplee,  Byrne  Building 2 

Sierra  Oil  Co.;  206  Douglas  Block . 7 

Slocan  Oil  Co. ;  14  Baker  Block 11 

Traction  Co. ;  Traction  Office 1 

Tomlinson,  Mrs.;  1316  Omaha  Street 1 

Tubbs  &  Evans;  1643  Central  Avenue . 4 

Thompson,  R. ;  1320  Omaha  Street 1 

Uncle  Sam  Oil  Co. ;  Hardisson  &  H.,  Ojai  Building 11 

United  States  Crude  Oil  Co.;  C.  J.  George,  208  Laughlin  Building.. 3 

Victor  Oil  Co. ;  care  Walter  L.  Young,  453  Cottage  Home  Street 1 

Van  Fossen  &  Cummings;  D.  C.  McGarvin,  220>^  S.  Spring  Street 2 

Van  Every  &  Co. ;  109  S.  Broadway 3 

Van  Trees,  Mr.;  120  S.  Witmer  Street 2 

Weller,  Z.  H.;  919  Kensington  Road. 8 

Wing,  K.  W. ;  Belmont  Avenue 2 

West  Lake  Oil  Co.;  Clark  &  Bryan,  Stimson  Block 26 

Wilson,  W.  D.;  Hellman  Block 15 

Westlake,  Walter;  care  601  Laughlin  Building 1 

Wellington  Oil  Co.;  224Henne  Building ■  16 

Whittier  Consolidated  Oil  Co.;  225  Hellman  Block 5 

Young  &  Shaw  ;  453  Cottage  Home  Street 4 

Young,  Walter  L. ;  453  Cottage  Home  Street. 1 

Yukon  Crude  Oil  Co.;  Easton  &  Eldridge  Co 15 

PRODUCTIVE  WELLS  WEST  OF  CITY  LIMITS  OF  LOS  ANGELES. 

4.1.5.  Hercules  Oil  Company  (T.  H.  Dunham,  president)  has  two  365' 
wells  on  Rosedale  Avenue,  between  First  and  Fourth  streets.  Oil-sand 
struck  at  300'  and  311'  respectively. 

4.1.6.  Los  Angeles  Oil  and  Transportation  and  Terminal  Coinpany  has 
seventeen  wells,  300'  to  400'  deep,  on  Maltman  tract,  between  First  and 
Third  streets,  Vermont  Avenue  and  Hoover  Street.  Average  yield,  7 
bbls.  per  day.  Gravity  of  oil,  14.5°  B.  Formation  penetrated:  Yellow 
clay  to  30';  dark  brown  sand  to  70';  brown  shale  and  sulphurous  shale 
to  100';  then  blue  clay  and  shale  to  250';  then  oil-sand  to  300'.     Dip  to 

5— Bl9 


66  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

the  southwest  at  an  angle  of  about  20°.     Five  of  these  wells  are  within 
the  city  limits. 

4.1.7.  San  Gabriel  Electric  Light  Company  has  two  wells  400'  deep  on 
the  northwest  corner  of  Vermont  Avenue  and  Fourth  Street.  Each  well 
yields  \2\  bbls.  a  day. 

4.1.8.  Schmidt  {Fred)  has  three  wells  on  the  Luring  tract,  Third 
Street  and  Vermont  Avenue.     (See  Transfer  Oil  Company.) 

PRODUCTIVE  OIL-WELLS  IN  THE  PUENTE  HILLS,  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 

Only  those  wells  are  included  in  this  list  which  were  productive  when 
the  Puente  Hills  were  visited  by  the  writer  in  May,  1900.  Unfinished 
wells  are  recorded  under  the  head  of  "Prospect  Wells." 

4.1.9.  The  oil-fields  in  that  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills  which  lies 

within  Los  Angeles  County  are  the  Whittier,  the  La  Habra,  and  the 

Puente  oil-fields. 

The  Whittier  Oil-Field. 

4.1.10.  The  Whittier  oil-field  represents  that  portion  of  the  Puente 
Hills  which  extends  from  the  San  Gabriel  River  to  the  La  Habra  ranch. 
In  May,  1900,  the  following  companies  were  operating,  or  had  drilled 
wells  in  the  Whittier  district: 

4.1.11.  The  Central  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles).  (SeePhotoNo.  3.) 
The  wells  of  this  company  are  in  Sec.  23,  T.  2  S.,  R.  11  W.,  S.  B.  M., 
about  a  mile  southeast  of  Whittier.  In  May,  1900,  this  company  was 
pumping  sixteen  wells,  700'  to  1250'  in  depth,  producing  10  to  70  bbls. 
a  day.  Gravity  of  oil,  18°  B.  These  wells  supplied  sufficient  gas  for 
fuel.  All  of  the  producing  wells  of  the  Central  Oil  Company  are 
situated  on  the  south  limb  of  the  fold  marked  BB  in  Fig.  A.  The 
formation  penetrated  by  the  wells  of  the  Central  Oil  Company  is  repre- 
sented by  the  following  well-records: 

Well  No.  1  (completed  December,  1897):  Big  flow  of  water  at  275'; 
blue  clay  and  oil-sand  to  485';  5  bbls.  oil  in  24  hours;  stratified  shale 
and  sand,  good  showing  of  oil,  at  730';  10  bbls.  oil;  water;  hard  shell 
to  735';  blue  clay,  sand,  and  shale  to  865';  thin  shale,  with  good  show- 
ing of  oil  of  21°  B.,  at  865';  sand  to  879'.  Well  drilled  to  400';  oil-sand 
at  955';  well  pumped  70  bbls.  oil  in  10  days;  total  thickness  of  sand 
penetrated,  90'.  Well  deepened  to  894';  total  thickness  of  sand  pene- 
trated, 105';  well  pumped  60  bbls.  oil  in  10  days.  In  July,  1898,  well 
pumped  25  bbls.  oil  a  day. 

Well  No.  2  (550'  N.  20°  W.  of  No.  1) :  Clay  to  175';  big  flow  of  water 
at  275';  stratified  formation  (caving)  to  384';  good  showing  of  light 
oil  in  sand  at  650';  slate,  with  hard  shell,  at  890';  sand  and  shale  to 
910';  very  light  oil  at  990';  good  oil-sand  at  1007';  hard  shell  to  1012'; 
thick  slate  to  1035';  sand  and  clay  to  1070';  slate  and  shale  to  1135'. 
Much  gas.  Well  choked  and  filled  up  to  1070'.  Well  produces  8  bbls. 
oil  of  26°  B.  a  day. 


PRODUCTIVE    OIL-WELLS    IN    LOS    ANGELES   COUNTY.  67 

Well  No.  3  (completed  July,  1898),  about  325'  S.  of  No.  1:  Clay 
and  gravel  to  340';  hard  shell  to  350';  broken  shale,  trace  of  oil,  to  425'; 
fine,  soft  sand  to  500';  brown  sand  to  640';  white  shale,  trace  of  oil,  to 
710';  white  shale  to  730';  soft,  white  sand  to  780';  brown  sand  to  785'; 
blue  sulphur  and  shale  to  880';  oil  and  sand  to  930'.  Well  filled  to 
within  70'  of  top.  Well  pumped  80  bbls.  oil  a  day  for  two  weeks.  In 
July,  1899,  40  bbls.  oil  a  day. 

Well  No.  5  (completed  July,  1898):  Blue  sand  to  100';  brown  shale 
to  150';  sulphurous  sand  and  water  to  235';  brown  sand  to  310';  white 
shale  to  375';  white  sand,  some  oil,  to  430';  white  quicksand  to  450'; 
blue  quicksand  to  490';  hard  pebbles  and  sand  to  520';  mud  vein  (2') 
at  525';  fine  sand  to  545';  fine  sand  to  560';  blue  shale  to  575';  hard 
shell  to  585';  soft,  white  slate  to  620';  fine  oil-sand  to  685'. 

Well  No.  6:  Water  and  gravel  to  60';  white  sand  to  80';  blue  slate 
to  250';  sand  to  300';  hard  shell  to  308';  slaty  blue  shale  to  325';  hard, 
blue  shell  to  335';  soft  slate  and  sulphurous  water  to  400';  soft  slate 
to  535';  oil-sand  to  550';  slate  to  565';  oil-sand  to  790';  hard  shale 
to  795';  sand  to  840'. 

The  oil  from  these  wells  is  conveyed  by  pipe-line  to  Los  Nietos  on  the 
Santa  Fe  Railroad,  a  distance  of  about  4f  miles. 

4.1.12.  The  Chandler  Oil-Wells  are  about  2  miles  east  of  Whittier.  In 
well  No.  1,  drilled  in  1891,  the  formation  is:  Conglomerate  to  200';  blue 
clay  to  250';  fine  sand  and  oil  to  270';  blue  clay  and  strata  of  sand  and 
oil  to  300'.  Gravity  of  oil,  18"  B.  Well  started  at  3  bbls.,  and  in  1897 
was  producing  the  same  amount.  No.  2  is  250'  south,  1 6'  east  from  No.  1, 
and  at  a  lower  elevation.  Formation:  Blue  clay  to  400';  hard  stratum 
to  401';  sand  and  clay  to  561';  sand  contained  oil  and  water. 

4.1.13.  Clarendon  Heights  Oil  Company  (of  Whittier).  The  wells  of 
this  company  are  in  Savage  Caiion,  about  half  a  mile  east  of  Whittier. 
In  May,  1900,  this  company  had  two  wells,  285'  and  336'  deep,  respec- 
tively.    These  wells  yield  about  10  bbls.  a  day.     Gravity  of  oil,  13°  B. 

4.1.14.  Fidelity  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles).  The  wells  of  this 
company  are  about  1  mile  northeast  of  Whittier.  In  May,  1900,  this 
company  had  one  productive  well,  and  a  second  well  was  being  drilled. 

4.1.15.  Holden  (T.D.)  (of  Los  Angeles)  has  a  well  one  mile  east  of  the 
Central  Oil  Company.  Brea  to  10';  conglomerate  to  100';  sandy  shale 
and  thin  strata  of  conglomerate  to  900';  sandstone  to  1000';  shale  to 
1050';  sulphur  water  at  800'.     Abandoned. 

4.1.16.  Home  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles).  The  wells  of  this 
company  are  in  Sec.  22,  T.  2  S.,  R.  11  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  and  are  about  three 
quarters  of  a  mile  northeast  of  Whittier.  In  May,  1900,  this  company 
had  three  productive  wells  and  one  dry-hole.  The  first  well  was  drilled 
on  the  south  side  of  Turnbull  Caiion,  about  half  a  mile  northeast  of 
Whittier.     The  formation  is:    Well  No.  1 — Yellow  sandstone  to  100'; 


68  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

soft  shells  with  hard  shells  of  blue  sand-rock  to  180';  black  clay  or  clay- 
shale  to  250';  tough  clay,  streaks  of  gray  sand,  to  360';  dark-gray  sand- 
stone to  400';  sandy  clay-shale,  streaks  of  gray  sand,  to  950';  water  was 
struck  at  105',  250',  400',  and  500'.     Abandoned. 

Subsequently  this  company  drilled  three  other  wells  about  one 
quarter  of  a  mile  east  of  their  first  well,  with  the  following  results: 
Second  well,  oil-sand  to  400';  clay-shale  to  550';  3  bbls.  Third  M^ell,  oil- 
sand  and  shale  to  960';  oil  below  200';  40  bbls.  Fourth  well,  oil-sand 
and  shale  to  700'.     Drilling  in  May,  1900. 

4.1.17.  Turner  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles).  The  territory  of 
this  company  adjoins  that  of  the  Home  Oil  Company  on  the  east.  In 
May,  1900,  this  company  had  two  productive  wells,  1125'  and  550'  deep, 
respectively. 

4.1.18.  Warner  Oil  Company  (of  Whittier).  The  territory  of  this 
company  adjoins  that  of  the  Central  Oil  Company  on  the  west.  In 
May,  1900,  the  Warner  Oil  Company  had  one  well  1108'  deep,  said  to 
yield  48  bbls.  a  day.     A  second  well  was  being  drilled. 

4.1.19.  Whittier    Crude  Oil    Company  (of  Whittier).     The  wells  of 

this  company  are  about  1  mile  northeast  of  Whittier.     In  May,  1900, 

this  company  had  two  producing  wells,  one  1000'  and  the  other  1250' 

deep. 

The  La  Habra  District. 

4.1.20.  This  district  lies  between  the  Puente  and  Whittier  oil-fields. 
The  only  company  operating  in  the  La  Habra  district  is  the  Union  Oil 
Company. 

4.1.21.  Union  Oil  Company  (of  Santa  Paula,  Ventura  County)  has 
two  wells  on  La  Habra  ranch.  One  well  is  1270'  deep,  and  produces 
about  3  bbls.  of  oil  a  day.  In  May,  1900,  another  well  was  being  drilled, 
and  was  1097'  deep.  The  formation  penetrated  by  these  wells  is  clay 
and  sandy  shale,  with  strata  of  oil-sand.     Gravity  of  oil,  20°  B. 

The  Puente  District. 

4.1.22.  This  district  extends  from  La  Brea  Canon  to  La  Habra. 
The  Puente  wells,  which  have  been  successfully  operated  for  more  than 
a  decade,  are  situated  in  the  higher  portion  of  the  Puente  Hills,  about 
2  miles  west  of  Brea  Canon  and  7  miles  from  Puente  Station  on  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad. 

4.1.23.  The  Puente  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  J.  A.  Graves, 
president)  has  sixty  producing  wells,  varying  from  1000'  to  more  than 
2000'  in  depth,  which  yield  from  5  to  40  bbls.  of  oil  daily.  The  forma- 
tion penetrated  is  shale,  with  strata  of  oil-sand,  varying  from  5'  to  20' 
in  thickness  and  yielding  an  oil  of  about  23°  B.,  to  a  depth  of  about 
1000'.  Below  this  depth  the  oil-sand  strata  are  thicker,  and  some  of  the 
deepest  wells  have  passed  through  oil-sand  for  a  distance  of  100'  to  300'. 
The  oil  derived  from  these  deeper  formations  has  a  gravity  of  from  30° 


I 


PRODUCTIVE   OIL-WELLS    IN    LOS   ANGELES   COUNTY.  69 

to  35°  B.     The  oil  from  the  Puente  wells  is  conveyed  by  pipe-line  to 
Chino  refinery.     (See  chapter  on  Pipe-Lines  and  Refineries.) 

PRODUCING  WELLS  IN  SAN  FERNANDO  OR  NEWHALL  MINING  DISTRICT. 

Only  such  wells  are  mentioned  as  were  producing  oil  in  June,  1900. 

4.1.24.  Kellerman  and  others  (of  Los  Angeles)  have  a  well  near  the 
south  line  of  Sec.  6,  about  2  miles  southeast  of  Newhall.  This  well  is 
about  1400'  deep.  The  formation  is  mostly  sandstone,  with  a  little 
shale.  The  first  oil  was  struck  at  820';  gravity  of  oil,  25°  B.  A  second 
stratum  of  oil  was  struck  at  1140';  this  oil  had  a  gravity  of  30°  B.  A 
third  stratum  was  struck  at  1450';  gravity,  35°  B.  It  is  said  that  this 
is  a  10-bbl.  well. 

Pacific  Coast  Oil  and  California  Star  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco). 
The  productive  wells  of  this  company  are  situated  in  the  Pico,  Els- 
mere,  and  Wiley  canons,  and  prospect  wells  are  being  drilled  in  Rice 
Canon. 

4.1.25.  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company^  wells  in  Pico  Canon  are  about  7 
miles  southwest  of  Newhall.  (See  Photo  No.  29.)  Here  there  are 
forty  wells,  varying  in  depth  from  700'  to  1950'.  The  formation  is 
sandstone  and  shale,  the  sandstone  predominating.  The  gravity  of  the 
oil  varies  from  41°  to  42°  B.  The  oil  is  conveyed  by  pipe-line  to  Ven- 
tura, in  Ventura  County;  distance  44  miles.  (See  chapter  on  Pipe- 
Lines,  etc.) 

4.1.26.  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's  wells,  in  Elsmere  Cafion.  In 
this  canon  there  are  fifteen  wells,  ranging  from  400'  to  900'  in  depth. 
Only  seven  of  these  wells  are  productive,  and  yield  7  to  45  bbls.  a  day  ; 
the  formation  being  gravel,  sandstone,  and  a  little  shale. 

4.1.27.  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Companyh  wells  in  Wiley  Canon  are  about 
3  miles  southwest  of  Newhall.  Here  there  are  thirteen  wells,  ranging 
from  600'  to  1626'  in  depth,  but  only  three  of  these  wells  are  productive. 
The  formation  is  shale  and  sandstone,  the  shale  predominating.  Gravity 
of  the  oil,  30°  B.  The  total  product  of  the  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's 
wells  is  about  150,000  bbls.  a  year.  The  gravity  of  most  of  this  oil 
ranges  from  41°  to  42°  B. 

4.1.28.  White  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  G.  S.  Deline,  secretary) 
has  a  well  530'  deep,  said  to  yield  25  bbls.  a  week;  also  a  well  1030' 
deep.  These  were  the  first  wells  drilled  in  the  crystalline  rocks.  The 
outcropping  rocks  at  the  wells  are  crystalline  schists,  and  in  them  a 
30'  tunnel  has  been  run  for  water,  which  yields  enough  for  drilling. 
About  150'  down  the  hill  from  the  tunnel  is  the  1030'  well  previously 
referred  to.  The  owners  state  that  a  hard  crystalline  rock  was  pene- 
trated to  a  depth  of  about  50'.  At  that  depth  the  rock  became  darker, 
and  several  seams  of  clayey  material  were  passed  through.  Three  of 
these  seams  were  found  to  be  oil-yielding.      About  100'  north  of  the 


70  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

1030'  well,  a  well  has  been  drilled  to  a  depth  of  about  500'.  The 
officers  of  the  company  state  that  the  formation  in  this  well  resembled 
that  in  the  1030'  well.  They  say  that  this  well  yields  about  25  bbls.  of 
oil  a  week.  A  sample  of  this  oil  was  furnished  the  writer  by  Messrs. 
Freeman  &  Nelson.  It  showed  a  gravity  of  37°  B.  This  oil  finds  ready 
sale  for  medicinal  purposes.  North  of  the  well  the  formation  is  crystal- 
lized limestone  and  gneiss. 


CHAPTER  2. 

PROSPECT    AND    UNFINISHED   WELLS    IN    LOS    ANGELES 

COUNTY. 

Only  those  wells  are  mentioned  which  were  drilled,  or  being  drilled, 
in  June,  1900. 

PROSPECT  WELLS  WEST  OF  LOS  ANGELES  CITY  LIMITS. 

4.2.1.  Brea  Ranch  Well.  Formation,  broken  shale  to  600';  at  900' 
heavy  oil  flowed;  mud  to  1400'.     J.  E.  Sanford,  driller. 

4.2.2.  Davis  (C.  B.)  has  a  well  400'  deep  on  Western  Avenue,  a 
short  distance  south  of  Mitchell  &  Stilson  well.  Formation,  shale  to 
400'.     Abandoned. 

4.2.3.  Houser  Tract  Wells,  on  Pico  Street,  6  miles  west  of  city. 
Well  No.  1,  sulphur  water  at  230'.     Well  No.  2,  artesian  water  at  355'. 

4.2.4.  Ivy  Station  Well,  7  miles  from  Los  Angeles,  on  S.  P.  R.  R.  to 
Santa  Monica,  on  Washington  Boulevard  and  road  to  Palms;  153' 
deep;  gas. 

4.2.5.  John  &  Strong  Well,  Eighth  Street  and  Dewey  Avenue;  850' 
deep. 

4.2.6.  Keating  Wells.  No.  1  on  Bonita  Meadows  ranch,  between  Adams 
Street  and  S.  P.  R.  R.  This  well  was  drilled  in  1898.  The  formation 
penetrated  was  adobe  to  60';  black  sand  to  200';  quicksand  to  250'; 
clay  and  sandstone  to  450';  blue  clay  to  910';  sand  and  clay  to  960'; 
hard  sandstone  to  1030';  clay  to  1256';  traces  of  oil  and  gas  at  1000'. 
No.  2,  between  Pico  and  Washington  streets. 

4.2.7.  Lewis  Well  (Flora  and  Santa  Monica  Company),  half  a  mile 
east  of  Cole  Grove.  Shale  and  sandstone  to  400';  oil  and  sand  to  412'; 
shale  and  sandstone  to  600';  oil-sand  to  620';  shale  and  sandstone  to 
800'.     Two  flows  of  artesian  water  were  shut  off  in  this  well. 

4.2.8.  Lombard  &  Lockhart  have  three  wells:  No.  1,  on  ranch  of 
C.  Greve ;  12  acres  ;  891'  deep  ;  no  oil.  No.  2,  on  ranch  of  Joseph 
Whitworth  ;  14  acres;  417'  deep.  No.  3,  on  ranch  of  Joseph  Whit- 
worth;  14  acres  ;  at  417' hard  rock.     Abandoned. 


PROSPECT   ANf)    UNFINISHED    WELLS   IN    LOS   ANGELES   COUNTY.  71 

4.2.9.  Mansfield  {Houser  Station)  Wells,  7  miles  west  of  Los  Angeles. 
Well  No.  1,  550'  deep;  60'  oil-sand  at  bottom.  Well  No.  2,  old  gas- 
well  ;  burned  many  years  in  house.  Well  No.  3,  53'  deep,  31'  sand  ; 
gas  in  1"  pipe,  burning. 

4.2.10.  Mitcli.ell  &  Stilson  have  a  well  600'  deep  on  Western  Avenue 
and  Temple  Street. 

4.2.11.  Neio  Mexico  Development  Company  has  a  well  on  the  Arnaz 
ranch;  down  600';  drilling. 

4.2.12.  Pico  Oil  Company.  Well  No.  1,  on  James  Whitworth  ranch, 
7  miles  west  of  Los  Angeles.  Formation:  Adobe  to  20';  yellow 
clay  to  60';  sand  and  gravel  with  4'  of  oil-sand  to  129';  blue  clay  to  167'; 
sand,  rock,  and  gravel  to  450';  blue  clay  to  530';  black  shale  to  538';  blue 
clay  to  545';  sand  to  550';  blue  shale,  traces  of  oil,  to  558';  blue  clay  to 
560';  black  shale,  traces  of  oil,  to  564';  blue  clay  to  566';  black  shale  to 
572';  sand  to  610';  blue  clay,  traces  of  oil,  to  620';  sand  to  622';  blue 
clay  to  635';  sand  to  641';  blue  clay,  oil,  to  668';  blue  shale,  oil,  to  671'; 
blue  clay,  oil,  to  708';  black  shale,  oil,  to  780';  blue  clay,  oil,  to  822'. 

4.2.13.  Pitcher- Garhutt  Oil  Company  has  two  wells  on  Masselin 
ranch,  7  miles  west  of  Los  Angeles.  Well  No.  1,  901'  deep;  oil-sand  at 
40';  pumped  by  hand.  Well  No.  2,  1073'  deep;  standard  rig^  shale  at 
852';  oil-sand  at  951'. 

4.2.14.  Rhodes  Wells.  No.  1,  on  Brea  ranch,  about  4  miles  west  of  Los 
Angeles.  Formation:  Soil  to  10';  yellow  clay-shale  to  73';  sand  and 
bowlders  to  85';  blue  clay  to  149';  shell  to  154';  blue  clay  to  176';  shell 
to  177';  decomposed  black  shale  to  192';  shell,  or  hard  flinty  blue  shale, 
to  193';  oil-sand  to  213';  gray  shale  to  214';  oil-sand  to  237';  sand-rock 
to  239';  oil-sand  to  282';  sand-rock  to  284';  heaving  beach  sand  to  324'; 
coarse  black  sand  with  asphaltum  to  350';  hard  rock  to  351';  lightish- 
colored  sand  to  381';  hard  oil-rock  to  382';  oil-sand  (showed  well)  to 
432';  soft  oil-rock  of  shale  to  436';  coarse  sand  to  463'. 

Well  No.  2,  on  Brea  ranch,  about  800'  south  of  Rhodes  Well  No.  1- 
Formation:  Soil  to  10';  red  sand  to  50';  yellow  clay  and  shale  to  133'; 
shell  to  137';  sand  and  bowlders  (water  strata)  to  147';  blue  shale  to 
185';  shell  to  186';  shale  to  215';  shell  to  216';  clay  to  255';  brea  to 
256';  shale  to  284';  shell  to  285';  shale  to  302';  shell  to  304';  shale  and 
clay  to  362';  shell  or  rock  to  363';  shell  to  370';  oil-sand  (6'  shale  about 
center)  to  449';  rock  to  452';  oil-sand  to  484';  rock  to  485';  sand  to  527'; 
sand-rock  to  535';  sand  to  546';  shale  to  548';  oil-sand  to  596';  hard 
shale  or  rock  to  600'.  This  well  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  600'  by  a 
hydraulic  rig.  Two  days  after  removing  the  pipes  the  oil  stood  within 
12'  of  the  surface.     The  gravity  of  the  oil  is  12°  B. 

Rhodes  Well  No.  3,  on  Brea  ranch,  about  800'  southeast  of  No.  1.  For- 
mation: Soil  to  10';  yellow  clay  and  shale  to  74';  sand  and  bowlders 
(water  strata)  to  89';  shale  to  104';  shell  to  106';  blue  clay  to  173';  shell 


72  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

to  179';  decomposed  black  shale  to  211';  shell  of  hard  blue  shale  to  212'; 
oil-sand  to  245';  gray  shale  to  248';  oil-sand  to  264';  hard  shale  or  sand- 
rock  to  265';  oil-sand  to  267'.  Casing  would  drive  no  further.  Took 
out  20  bbls.  twenty-four  hours  after  cleaning  well.     Gravity  of  oil,  11^  B. 

4.2.15.  Rodeo  Oil  Company  Wells.  No.  1,  on  Abbott  ranch,  west  of 
Houser  Station,  7  miles  west  of  Los  Angeles.  Formation:  Sand  to  43'; 
gravel  to  53';  gravel,  with  oil,  to  76';  sand  and  shells  to  83';  rocks  to  98'; 
blue  sand  to  118';  clay  to  136';  sand  and  rocks  to  142';  blue  clay  to  144'; 
sand  and  rocks  to  157';  clay  to  160';  rocks  and  sand  to  281';  blue  clay 
to  347';  sand  to  385';  claj'-  blue  to  390';  blue  clay,  traces  of  oil,  to  420'; 
sand  to  595';  blue  sticky  clay,  oil,  to  598';  heavy  sticky  blue  clay  to  723'; 
oil  from  598'  to  723';  stopped  in  blue  clay.  Well  No.  2  showed  oil-sand 
at  400'. 

4.2.16.  Rommel  Company  has  a  well  750'  deep  on  the  Gay  tract.  Oil 
from  75'  to  bottom  of  well.  Gravity,  25°  B.  Well  flowed  10  bbls.  per 
day  while  drilling.  This  company  has  aLso  one  well  in  Rimpau  tract, 
east  of  Houser  Station,  about  6  miles  west  of  Los  Angeles.  This  well  is 
1000'  deep.  It  is  said  that  a  stratum  of  oil-sand  60'  thick  was  struck  at 
a  depth  of  550',  and  that  it  yielded  an  oil  of  22°  B. 

4.2.17. »  Rosedale  Cemetery  Wells,  6  miles  west  of  Los  Angeles.  On  the 
cemetery  grounds  there  are  five  wells.  Well  No.  1,  550'  deep;  60'  oil- 
sand,  at  bottom.  Well  No.  2, 800'  deep;  water;  no  oil.  Well  No.  3,  160' 
deep;  20'  oil-sand,  at  bottom.  Well  No.  4,  160'  deep;  30'  oil-sand,  at 
bottom.     Well  No.  5,  120'  deep;  66'  oil-sand. 

4.2.18.  Selby  Oil  Company  has  a  well  on  the  southwest  corner  of 
Third  and  Rosedale  streets,  near  Los  Angeles ;  400'  deep ;  clay-shale. 
Western  Electric  Works,  334  S.  Main  Street,  drillers. 

4.2.19.  Star  Oil  Company  has  a  well  on  the  corner  of  Lee  Street  and 
Vermont  Avenue,  near  Los  Angeles;  1300'  deep;  heavy  oil. 

4.2.20.  Thomas  {H.  C.)  has  two  wells  on  the  Croswell  tract,  6  miles 
west  of  Los  Angeles.  Well  No.  1,  654'  deep ;  it  is  said  that  in  this  well 
oil-sand  was  struck  from  45'  to  160'.  Well  No.  2,  175'  deep  ;  it  is  said 
that  in  this  well  oil-sand  was  penetrated  for  138'. 

4.2.21.  Weid  Well,  on  Weid  Estate,  near  Colegrove.  Sand  and 
gravel  at  80';  blue  shale  at  800';  oil-sand,  coarse;  oil  and  water  to  840'; 
water  not  cased  off.     Drilled  by  T.  E.  Sanford,  1013  Temple  Street. 

4.2.22.  Wicks  and  others  have  a  well  400'  deep  on  the  Arnaz  ranch, 
7  miles  southwest  of  Los  Angeles.  No.  1,  400'  deep.  Little  oil. 
Abandoned. 

4.2.23.  Williams  {C.  H.  L.)  (The  National  Oil  Company)  has  a  well 
on  the  southwest  corner  of  First  and  Rosedale  streets,  near  Los  Angeles. 
Drilling. 


PROSPECT    AND    UNFINISHED   WELLS   IN    LOS    ANGELES    COUNTY.  73 

PROSPECT  WELLS— EAST  LOS  ANGELES. 

Only  such  wells  are  mentioned  as  had  been  drilled,  or  were  being 
drilled,  in  June,  1900. 

4.2.24.  Bland  (F.  E.),  on  Judson  Street,  between  State  and  Lord 
streets.  In  a  well  drilled  for  water  at  this  point,  oil  was  struck  at  a 
depth  of  80'. 

4.2.25.  Far  East  Oil  Company  has  a  well  one  third  of  a  mile  north 
of  Evergreen  Cemetery.  Formation:  Adobe  to  500';  shale,  dark  shale, 
and  clay  to  540';  sand,  with  water  and  traces  of  oil,  to  590';  shale 
(dark)  to  630';  sand  and  water  to  670';  blue  shale  to  930'. 

4.2.26.  Headly  Well,  north  of  Reservoir  No.  5,  East  Los  Angeles. 
Well,  840';  no  oil. 

4.2.27.  Johnson  {Mrs.  C.  M.),  on  State  Street,  corner  Bailey.  Well, 
40';  oil. 

4.2.28.  Rees  Well,  near  the  corner  of  Britannia  and  Sheridan  streets. 
Black  mud,  with  occasional  streaks  of  yellow  clay,  to  70'  (at  this  depth 
a  thin  stratum  of  water-bearing  gravel  was  penetrated);  shale  to  85'; 
brea  to  92';  shale,  alternating  in  light  and  dark-brown  color,  to  400'; 
water-bearing  sand  to  403';  shale,  impregnated  with  oil,  to  800';  fine 
sand  to  803';  blue  shale  to  525'.  At  this  depth  the  casing  had  been 
reduced  to  4",  and  the  well  was  abandoned. 

4.2.29.  Scott  &  Lojtus  Wells.  No.  1,  on  St.  Louis  Street,  between 
Emerson  and  Scott  streets.  Gravel  to  45';  blue  clay  to  315';  sandy 
shale  to  420';  water  at  450';  tough  clay  to  475';  sandy  shale  and  a  little 
oil  and  gas  to  555';  oil-sand  to  560';  sandy  shale  to  800';  sand  and 
water  to  875'.     Seven  barrels  a  day,  17°  B. 

No.  2,  400'  east  of  Soto  Street,  on  Magnolia  Avenue.  Gravel  to  20'; 
blue  clay  to  625';  sulphur  water  and  blue  clay  to  650';  sandy  shale  to 
800';  sand  and  water  to  803'.     No  oil. 

4.2.30.  Whiting  {Dwight)  and  others  have  a  well  about  250'  east  of 
the  intersection  of  the  El  Monte  wagon  road  and  the  San  Gabriel  branch 
of  the  S.  P.  R.  R.,  about  4  miles  east  of  Los  Angeles.  Formation,  shale 
and  sandstones.  In  May,  1900,  this  well  was  500'  deep.  A  thin  stratum 
of  oil-sand  was  passed  through  at  a  depth  of  300'. 

4.2.31.  Wilkinson  {J.  M.)  has  a  well  one  fourth  of  a  mile  east  of 
Reservoir  No.  5.  Well,  670'.  Said  to  have  shown  traces  of  oil  at  640'. 
Yellow  shale  to  25';  blue  shale  to  175';  blue  shale  and  hard  shells  to 
365';  blue  clay-shale  to  410';  gray  shale  to  500';  blue  mud  and  strata  of 
shale  and  a  little  oil  to  640'. 


74  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

PROSPECT  AND  UNFINISHED  WELLS  IN  THE  PUENTE  HILLS. 

Only  those  wells  are  mentioned  which  were  drilled,  or  being  drilled, 
in  May,  1900. 

4.2.32.  Chino  Well  No.  1  was  drilled  by  the  Chino  Valley  Beet  Sugar 
Company  of  Chino  in  1897.  It  is  on  the  Chino  ranch  and  near  the 
southeast  corner  of  Sec.  35,  T.  2  S.,  R.  9  W.,  S.  B.  M.  This  well  is  1000' 
deep.  The  formation  is  sandstone,  with  a  few  thin  strata  of  shale.  No 
oil  was  struck,  and  well  is  abandoned.  There  is  an  exposure  of  oil-sand 
in  a  ravine  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  west  of  this  well. 

4.2.33.  Chino  Well  No.  2  was  drilled  in  1897-98  by  the  Chino  Valley 
Beet  Sugar  Company  near  Station  100  in  Sec.  3,  T.  2  S.,  R.  8  W.,  S.  B.  M. 
The  formation  penetrated  is:  Red  clay  and  sandy  shale  to  70';  white 
sand  with  water  to  77';  shale  to  240';  white  sand  and  water  to  248'; 
dark  shale  to  272';  gray  sand,  water,  and  much  gas  to  310';  light- 
colored  shale  to  410';  dark  shale  to  440';  oil-sand  to  465'  (at  this  depth 
a  small  amount  of  heavy  oil  was  struck);  dark-colored  shale  to  475'; 
sand  and  water  to  500';  clay-shale  to  590';  coarse  sand  to  600';  fine 
sand  to  610';  coarse  sand  to  620';  fine  gray  sand  to  630';  gray  sand  to 
640';  coarse  sand  to  650';  fine  sand  with  water  to  670';  brown  shale  to 
675';  and  shale  with  thin  strata  of  sandstone,  all  smelling  of  petroleum, 
to  1000'.     Abandoned. 

4.2.34.  Gird  Well,  on  Chino  ranch  near  the  south  line  of  T.  2  S., 
R.  8  W.,  S.  B.  M.;  drilled  in  1890.  This  well  is  near  a  seepage  of  heavy 
oil  at  a  point  on  the  Chino  ranch  marked  Station  40  on  Fig.  A.  Near 
the  well  a  stratum  of  oil-sand  is  exposed.  For  the  following  record  of 
the  well  referred  to  the  writer  is  indebted  to  the  courtes}^  of  Mr.  J. 
Kellerman,  well-driller:  Soft  brown  shale  to  120';  white  sand  with 
water  to  185';  rotten  shale  with  water  to  400';  soft  sand  to  450';  sand 
and  shale  to  950';  sand  with  brackish  water  to  1020';  sand  and  shale 
to  1200'.  This  well  was  abandoned  on  account  of  the  water.  The 
water  was  accompanied  by  a  small  amount  of  oil. 

4.2.35.  Gird  Well,  near  quarry  of  bituminous  sand.  Several  years 
ago  a  well  was  drilled  about  half  a  mile  northeast  of  the  Gird  quarr}'  of 
bituminous  sand  near  where  the  Brea  Cailon  road  crosses  the  east  line 
of  T.  2  S.,  R.  9  W.,  S.  B.  M.  It  is  said  that  this  well  is  800'  deep  and 
that  two  or  more  strata  of  oil-sand  were  penetrated  which  yielded  some 
heavy  oil,  but  that  the  oil  was  cased  off  and  the  well  deepened  in  order 
to  obtain  water  from  strata  underlying  the  oil-sand. 

4.2.36.  Joyce  Oil  Company  (of  Whittier)  has  a  well  in  Savage  Cafion 
west  of  the  Clarendon  Heights  well.  In  May,  1900,  the  Joyce  well  was 
unfinished. 

4.2.37.  Murphy  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles).  In  1897  this  com- 
pany drilled  a  well  about  1  mile  southeast  of  Whittier.  The  formation 
penetrated  is  as  follows:  Soft  yellow  sandstone  to  35';  sandstone  and 


PROSPECT    AND    UNFINISHED    WELLS    IN   LOS    ANGELES   COUNTY.  75 

tough  blue  clay  to  40';  tough  blue  clay  to  476';  limestone  stratum  to 
481';  quicksand  and  showing  of  oil  to  487';  sandy  shale  to  527'.  Aban- 
doned. In  1898  the  Murphy  Oil  Company  drilled  two  wells  about  100 
yards  southeast  of  the  Chandler  wells.  In  the  first  of  these  wells  con- 
glomerate was  penetrated  to  a  depth  of  660'.  Mr.  Plotts,  superintend- 
ent, states  that  it  yielded  about  6  bbls.  of  heavy  oil  a  day.  In  the 
other  wells  conglomerate  was  passed  through  for  850'  and  then  soft 
shale  to  a  depth  of  1760'.  No  oil  was  found  in  this  well,  and  the 
locality  was  abandoned.  In  May,  1900,  this  company  was  drilling  a 
well  a  few  hundred  feet  south  of  the  wells  of  the  Central  Oil  Company. 

4.2.38.  North  Whittier  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles).  In  May, 
1900,  this  company  commenced  drilling  on  the  spur  of  hills  between 
Turnbull  and  Sycamore  canons,  at  a  point  northwest  of  the  wells  of  the 
Home  Oil  Company  and  about  1  mile  north  of  Whittier. 

4.2.39.  Shirley  &  McGray  (of  Los  Angeles)  have  a  well  in  Savage 
Canon  and  west  of  the  Clarendon  Heights  well.  In  May,  1900,  the 
Shirley  &  McGray  well  was  700'  deep.  The  formation  penetrated  is 
conglomerate. 

4.2.40.  Whittier  Oil  Company  (of  Whittier).  In  1897  this  company 
drilled  two  wells  in  the  mouth  of  Savage  Canon,  about  half  a  mile 
southeast  of  Whittier.  The  formation  is:  Well  No.  1 — Soil  and  gravel 
to  70';  sand-rock  and  conglomerate  to  300';  oil-sand  and  conglomerate 
to  400';  sandy  shale  to  660'.  Abandoned.  Well  No.  2  (about  350'  south 
of  first  well) — Soil  to  10';  yellow  sand-rock  to  20';  conglomerate  to 
110';  water  at  170';  sandy  shale  to  1100'.     Abandoned. 

PROSPECT  AND  UNFINISHED  WELLS  IN  NEWHALL  DISTRICT. 

Only  those  wells  are  mentioned  which  were  drilled,  or  being  drilled, 
in  June,  1900. 

4.2.41.  Alpine  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  R.  R.  McKinney,  presi- 
dent) has  two  wells  situated  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  12,  T.  3  N.,  R.  16  W., 
S.  B.  M.  One  of  these  wells  is  760'  in  depth.  The  formation  penetrated 
is  sandstone,  with  thin  strata  of  shale.  Oil- sand  was  struck  at  the 
bottom  of  the  well.  In  driving  the  casing,  water  broke  in  and  drowned 
out  the  well.  When  this  property  was  visited  a  second  well  was  being 
drilled,  and  a  depth  of  750'  had  been  reached. 

4.2.42.  Bervelle  &  Bradshaw  (of  Los  Angeles)  have  a  well  situated  in 
East  Canon,  the  south  branch  of  Rice  Canon.  Well  said  to  be  400' 
deep.     No  oil;  much  water. 

4.2.43.  California  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  J.  R.  Thomas, 
president)  has  a  well  in  the  N.W.  ^  of  Sec.  17.  Formation  said  to  be 
granite. 

4.2.44.  Commercial  Oil  Development  Company  (of  Los  Angeles; 
Robert  McGarvin,  president).  This  company  is  drilling  in  the  N.E.  \ 
of  Sec.  13,  about  2^  miles  south  of  Newhall. 


76  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

4.2.45.  Eureka  Crude  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  J.  H.  Hellman, 
president)  has  a  well  in  S.  i  of  Sec.  13,  T.  3  N.,  R.  16  W.,  S.  B.  M. 
This  well  was  being  drilled  in  June,  1900. 

4.2.46.  Good  Luck  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  W.  W.  Lowe, 
president)  has  a  well  in  the  S.E.  cor.  of  Sec.  7,  T.  3  N.,  R.  15  W., 
S.  B.  M.  The  manager  stated  that  the  following  formation  was  pene- 
trated :  Decomposed  granite  to  30';  quartzose  rock  to  58';  blue  clay  to 
65';  gravel  to  69';  blue  clay  to  72';  granite  and  blue  clay  to  670'; 
granite  and  blue  clay,  containing  traces  of  oil,  to  675'. 

4.2.47.  Tola  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  R.  H.  Knight,  president) 
has  a  well  in  the  E.  \  of  Sec.  12,  T.  3  N.,  R.  15  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  and  at  the 
time  the  locality  was  visited  had  been  drilled  to  a  depth  of  200'. 
Formation  said  to  be  granite  rock. 

4.2.48.  New  Century  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  C.  W.  Smith, 
president).  When  the  territory  was  visited,  this  company  was  about  to 
drill  in  the  N.E.  i  of  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  4,  T.  3  N.,  R.  15  W.,  S.  B.  M. 
Formation,  granitic  rock. 

4.2.49.  Pioneer  White  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  G.  W.  Freeman, 
president)  has  a  well  in  the  S.E.  \  of  Sec.  3,  T.  3  N.,  R.  15  W.  At 
the  time  the  locality  was  visited  this  well  had  been  drilled  to  a  depth  of 
100'.     Formation,  granitic  rock. 

4.2.50.  Rice  Carton  WelU  (owned  by  the  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company 
of  San  Francisco)  are  about  3  miles  southwest  of  Newhall.  In  this 
canon  the  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company  has  drilled  two  wells  in  the  N.W. 
cor.  of  Sec.  22.  These  wells  range  from  500'  to  800'  in  depth.  The 
500'  well  is  a  3-bbl.  well,  but  in  the  800'  well  the  water  could  not  be 
shut  off. 

4.2.51.  Rice  {W.  P.)  has  a  well  situated  on  his  property  in  Rice 
Canon.  In  this  well  sandstone  and  shale  were  penetrated  to  a  depth  of 
550',  when  oil-sand  was  struck  which  yielded  3  bbls.  of  oil  a  day.  The 
well  was  then  deepened  to  a  depth  of  700',  when  water  was  encountered. 

4.2.52.  Towsley  Canon  Wells.  The  Graves  Oil  Company  and  others 
have  drilled,  all  told,  three  wells  in  this  canon ;  considerable  oil  was 
struck,  but  the  wells  were  abandoned  on  account  of  water. 

4.2.53.  Yankee  Doodle  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  H.  C.  Dillon, 
president)  has  a  well  in  the  N.E.  cor.  of  Sec.  7.  When  visited,  this  well 
had  been  drilled  to  a  depth  of  200'. 

4.2.54.  Zenith  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  F.  A.  Garbutt,  president) 
is  drilling  on  land  of  H.  C.  Needham,  about  1|  miles  southeast  of 
Newhall. 

MISCELLANEOUS  PROSPECT  WELLS  IN  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 

Only  such  wells  are  mentioned  as  had  been  drilled,  or  were  being 
drilled,  in  June,  1900. 

4.2.55.  Arctic  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco)  has  three  wells  on 
the  ranch  of  R.  Garvey,  Rapetto  Hills;  drilled  1897-98.     One  well  600' 


PROSPECT    AND   UNFINISHED    WELLS    IN    LOS    ANGELES   COUNTY.  77 

deep,  one  well  1200' deep,  and  one  well  1100' deep.    Abandoned.  Drilled 
by  Kellerman. 

4.2.56.  Bell  Station  Well,  at  Terminal  Railroad,  Los  Angeles  County. 
Soil  and  sandy  loam  to  600';  gravel  and  water  to  580';  bed  of  shells  to 
920';  gravel  and  water  to  980';  bed  of  sea-shells  to  1320'.  At  the  bottom 
of  the  well  the  formation  was  gravel  and  sand  with  water.  George 
Catey,  well-driller,  Los  Angeles. 

4.2.57.  Bluett  &  Mullen  (of  Los  Angeles)  have  two  wells  in  Palomaras 
mining  district,  Castac  Canon,  about  10  miles  northwest  of  Newhall. 
This  well  is  in  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  18,  T.  5  N.,  R.  16  W.,  S.  B.  M. 
Formation  as  follows :  Drift  to  80';  soft  sandstone  to  30';  shale  and 
sandstone  to  300';  dark  shale  to  350';  shale  and  sandstone  to  500';  hard 
shell  and  gray  sandstone  to  512';  soft,  dark  shale  to  600'.  Water  was 
not  shut  off,  but  traces  of  oil  were  brought  up  by  the  sand-pump.  Gas 
was  struck  at  500';  it  burned  with  a  flame  15'  above  a  5|"  casing.  About 
10'  north  of  this  well,  a  well  had  been  previously  drilled.  The  formation 
was  the  same  as  in  the  first  recorded  well  to  a  depth  of  550'.  Below  that 
depth  gray  and  white  sandstone  was  drilled  through  to  a  depth  of  940'. 

4.2.58.  Castac  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles)  has  one  800'  well  in 
Palomaras  district,  Castac  Caiion,  about  12  miles  northwest  of  Newhall, 
which  was  drilled  without  casing.  Formation,  shale  and  sandstone. 
At  600'  dry  asphaltum  was  penetrated  for  20'.     Abandoned. 

4.2.59.  Climax  Oil  Company  has  a  well  on  the  road  to  Verdugo,  1^ 
miles  north  of  Garvanza,  160'  deep.  Formation,  sandstone.  In  July, 
1900,  this  well  was  unfinished. 

4.2.60.  Hellman  Ranch  Well,  about  9  miles  east  of  Los  Angeles. 
Formation,  clay  and  discolored  water  to  140';  quartz  rock  to  142'  (gold 
bearing?).     Drilled  by  Palmer,  Los  Angeles. 

4.2.61.  Pacoima  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles)  has  a  well  in  Sec.  20, 
T.  3  N.,  R.  14  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  about  4^  miles  north  of  San  Fernando,  Los 
Angeles  County.     Well,  800'  deep.     Drilling. 

4.2.62.  Rosecrans  Wells.  C.  E.  Rosecrans  has  kindly  given  the  fol- 
lowing information  concerning  the  wells  on  the  Rosecrans  tract,  in  Sees. 
18  and  19,  T.  3  S.,  R.  13  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  and  other  wells  in  the  vicinity: 

Gas  wells:  Well  No.  1  was  sunk  fourteen  years  ago  for  water.  Forma- 
tion: Soil,  sand,  gravel,  etc.,  to  100'  (water  at  40');  shale  to  115'  (water 
under  the  shale);  black  sand  to  135'.  Gas  under  high  pressure  was 
struck  beneath  the  shale,  and  the  water  standing  40'  below  the  top  of 
the  casing  was  constantly  agitated.  The  gas  continues  to  force  its  way 
through  60'  of  water,  with  a  pressure  roughly  estimated  at  35  pounds. 
This  gas  is  used  for  lighting  and  cooking  in  a  house  on  the  Rosecrans 
tract.  Well  No.  2,  a  short  distance  northwest  of  No.  1,  is  90'  deep; 
formation,  similar  to  that  of  No.  1.  From  this  well,  in  which  the  shale 
was  not  fully  penetrated,  a  small  amount  of  gas  has  escaped  for  more 


78  CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING   BUREAU. 

than  nine  years.  Well  No.  3,  about  300'  northwest  of  No.  2,  had  a  little 
gas  in  it,  but  it  is  now  filled  up. 

Ten  years  ago,  about  H  miles  southeast  of  the  Rosecrans  wells,  on  the 
Duncan  property,  in  the  Hayward  tract,  a  well  was  drilled  for  artesian 
water,  to  a  depth  of  400'.  Gas  collects  in  this  well.  Brea  is  found  in 
the  vicinity  of  this  well  and  has  been  used  by  the  owner  for  fuel  for 
many  years. 

In  1899,  about  half  a  mile  west  of  the  Rosecrans  gas  wells,  in  Sec.  18, 
a  4"  hole  was  drilled  for  artesian  water.  Formation:  Soil,  clay,  sand, 
and  gravel  to  180';  sand-rock  or  shale  to  195'.  Owing  to  an  accident 
this  well  was  abandoned  and  a  new  well  drilled  15'  away.  .A  formation 
similar  to  that  of  the  abandoned  well  was  passed  through  to  330',  but 
the  drill  used  was  not  strong  enough  to  penetrate  the  strata  below  that 
depth.  In  this  well  below  180'  the  formation  seemed  dry,  hard,  and 
clayey,  and  the  shale  oily.  At  about  197'  there  was  a  showing  of  car- 
bonaceous matter. 

Recently  a  test  well  for  oil  was  commenced  in  Sec.  19,  about  700' 
southwest  of  the  gas  wells.  In  this  Avell  gas  was  struck  at  about  95' 
and  at  about  145'.  At  250'  an  oil-sand  stratum  10'  thick  was  struck. 
At  about  420'  a  few  feet  of  grayish  oil-sand  was  encountered,  and  the 
driller  stated  that  when  drilling  below  this  depth  he  saw  traces  of  oil 
on  the  drill.  At  a  depth  of  from  110'  to  220'  an  abundant  supply  of 
water,  which  rose  to  within  40'  of  the  top  of  the  casing,  was  struck. 

On  the  Rosecrans  ranch,  in  Sec.  23,  there  is  an  oil  seepage  from  an 
irrigation  well.     This  well  is  380'  deep. 

4.2.63.  Schuyler  Ranch  Well,  2  miles  southwest  of  San  Dimas ;  300'  deep. 
It  is  said  that  a  small  amount  of  oil  was  struck  in  this  well.    Abandoned. 

4.2.64.  Siclieivorth  Ranch  Well,  1  mile  north  of  Puente;  800'  deep. 
Formation:  Tough  clay;  strata  of  sand  and  gravel  with  water  at  the 
following  depths:  120',  400',  650',  720'.  Water  stands  at  54'.  George 
Catey  of  Los  Angeles,  driller. 

4.2.65.  Wells  near  Azusa.  Two  prospect  wells  have  been  drilled.  It 
is  said  that  traces  of  oil  were  obtained. 

OTHER  PROSPECT  WELLS  IN  LOS  ANGELES  CITY. 

4.2.66.  Bartelow  Well,  on  Moulton  tract,  corner  of  East  Main  and  Daly 
streets,  East  Los  Angeles ;  300'  deep  ;  no  oil.     Abandoned. 

4.2.67.  Chandler  Wells,  northeast  corner  of  Macy  and  Center  streets; 
775'  deep;  formation,  principally  shale ;  1^  bbls.  of  oil;  much  water. 
Abandoned. 

4.2.68.  Maier  &  Zobelein  Brewing  Covipany^s  Well,  on  Aliso  near 
Amelia  Street;  10"  pipe.  Formation:  Sand  and  gravel  to  23';  wash 
to  76';  red  sand  and  bituminous  shale  to  98';  bituminous  shale  to  678'; 
hard,  silicious  rock  to  684';  water  flowed  at  825';  shale,  with  thin  strata 
of  limestone,  16"  to  16'  thick,  to   1266';  8"  pipe;  sand  and  gravel  to 


PRODUCTIVE   OIL-WELLS   IN    ORANGE   COUNTY.  <9 

1366';  water  forced  sand  into  pipe ;  yellowish  gravel  to  1432';  blue 
clay  to  1454';  white  gravel  to  1458';  sand  and  shells,  principally  sand, 
to  1600'.     Abandoned. 

4.2.69.  Moulton  Well,  on  Moulton  tract,  corner  of  East  Main  and  Daly 
streets;  887'  deep;  formation  said  to  be  sandstone  (granite  and 
quartz).     Much  gas  ;  no  oil.     Abandoned. 


CHAPTER  3. 

PRODUCTIVE   OIL-WELLS   IN  ORANGE  COUNTY. 

Only  those  wells  are  classed  as  productive  which  were  so  in  May,  1900. 

4.3.1.  The  portion  of  Orange  County  wherein  productive  oil-wells 
have  been  obtained  is  commonly  known  as  the  Fullerton  oil-field.  This 
oil-field  comprises  an  area  on  the  south  slope  of  the  Puente  Hills, 
between  Brea  and  Sequel  canons.  In  May,  1900,  the  following  oil 
companies  were  operating  in  this  district: 

4.3.2.  Brea  Canon  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  D.  Murphy,  presi- 
dent). (See  Photo  No.  4.)  The  territory  of  this  company  is  situated 
near  the  mouth  of  Brea  Canon.  When  this  territory  was  visited  by  the 
writer  there  was  one  producing  well,  which  had  proved  very  remunera- 
tive. It  was  drilled  in  1899,  and  it  is  said  to  have  yielded  several 
hundred  barrels  a  day  during  the  first  six  months.  Two  other  wells 
were  being  drilled.  The  formation  is  soft,  sandy  shale,  containing 
much  oil.  A  very  fine-grained  material,  somewhat  resembling  quick- 
sand, forces  itself  into  the  casing  with  the  oil.  The  formation  penetrated 
by  the  Brea  Caiion  Oil  Company's  wells  dips  to  the  south. 

4.3.3.  Columbia  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles).  The  territory  of  this 
company  is  in  Sec.  5,  T.  3  S.,  R.  9  W.,  S.  B.  M.  This  company  has  four 
wells;  depth,  775'  to  950';  yield,  6  to  100  bbls.  a  day.  The  life  of  these 
wells  may  be  gathered  from  the  following  data:  Well  No.  1,  when  com- 
pleted in  May,  1899,  yielded  25  bbls.  a  day;  in  May,  1900,  it  yielded 
6  bbls.  Well  No.  4,  when  completed  in  February,  1899,  yielded  150 
bbls.  a  day;  in  May,  1900,  it  yielded  100  bbls.  These  wells  adjoin  the 
wells  of  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Company  on  the  east.  The  formation 
penetrated  resembles  that  noted  in  the  wells  of  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad 
Company. 

4.3.4.  Consolidated  Olinda  Oil  Company  has  two  wells  in  the  Fuller- 
ton  district.  No.  1,  1000'  deep,  is  a  10-bbl.  well.  No.  2,  1300'  deep; 
drilling.     Formation,  sandstone  and  shale,  the  latter  predominating. 

4.3.5.  Fullerton  Consolidated  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  C.  V. 
Hall,  president).  The  wells  of  this  company  are  in  Sec.  8,  T.  3  S., 
R.  9  W.,  S.  B.  M.  Here  there  are  two  producing  wells.  Gravity  of  oil, 
18°  B.     The  formation  penetrated  by  these  wells  is  shown  by  the  follow- 


80  CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

ing  records:  Well  No.  1:  Conglomerate  to  40';  clay-shale  and  sand  to 
820'  (at  this  depth  a  stratum  of  oil-sand  a  few  feet  in  thickness  was 
struck);  clay-shale,  sandy  strata,  and  oil-sand  to  165'.  Well  No.  2: 
Conglomerate  to  325';  below  that  depth  a  similar  formation  was  pene- 
trated to  that  noted  in  well  No.  1. 

4.3.6.  Fullerton  Oil  Company,  formerly  Rex  (of  Los  Angeles;  J.  T. 
Fay,  president),  has  five  wells  in  Sec.  9,  T.  3  S.,  R.  9  W.,  S.  B.  M.  These 
wells  range  from  400'  to  1000'  in  depth.  At  the  time  these  wells  were 
visited  only  one  well  was  producing.  One  of  these  wells  was  used  for 
water-supply;  in  one  the  tools  had  been  lost  and  it  was  abandoned,  and 
the  others  were  in  process  of  drilling. 

4.3.7.  Graham  &  Lojtus  (of  Fullerton).  The  wells  of  this  company 
are  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sections  8  and  9,  T.  3  S.,  R.  9  W.,  S.  B.  M.  In 
May,  1900,  they  had  five  wells  600'  to  1875'  deep.  The  production  of 
these  wells  ranges  from  6  to  122  bbls.  daily;  gravity  of  oil,  21°  B. 
Some  idea  as  to  the  life  of  these  wells  may  be  gathered  from  the  following 
facts:  One  well,  which  yielded  25  bbls.  a  day  when  completed,  ten 
months  later  yielded  only  6  bbls.  a  day.  Another  well  when  completed 
yielded  200  bbls.  a  day;  after  ten  days  it  yielded  only  125  bbls. 
Another,  which  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  1465',  when  completed  yielded 
500  bbls.  the  first  day  and  700  bbls.  the  second  day;  the  yield  then 
decreased,  and  after  twelve  months  it  yielded  only  60  bbls.  a  day.  The 
character  of  the  formation  penetrated  by  these  wells  is  shown  by  the 
following  well-records:  Well  No.  2:  Yellow  clay  to  50';  blue  clay  and 
oil-sand  to  150';  oil-sand  and  sandy  shale  to  240';  clay-shale  to  300'; 
oil-sand  to  730';  sandy  shale  to  965';  oil-sand  with  gas  to  1005';  sandy 
shale  and  oil-sand  to  1090';  oil-sand  and  shale  to  1400';  oil-sand  pene- 
trated to  1465'.  Well  No.  3:  Yellow  clay  to  50';  clay-shale  to  300';  sandy 
shale  to  360';  conglomerate  an^  shale  to  550';  clay-shale  to  920';  sandy 
shale  to  1130';  sandy  shale  and  oil-sand  to  1250';  oil-sand  to  1370'; 
sandy  shale  and  oil-sand  to  1500';  oil-sand  to  1565';  sandy  shale  and 
oil-sand  to  1790';  oil-sand  to  1875'.  Mr.  Loftus  states  that  his  wells 
are  located  within  a  few  hundred  feet  of  one  another.  They  show  a 
great  variation  in  yield.  He  attributes  this  to  the  size  of  the  grains 
forming  the  oil-sand.     He  sa.ys  the  fine  oil-sand  is  the  most  productive. 

4.3.8.  The  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Company  has  nineteen  wells  in  the 
Fullerton  oil-field.  (See  Photo  No.  5.)  These  wells  range  from  670' 
to  1700'  in  depth,  and  produce  from  7  to  100  bbls.  a  day;  black  oil, 
gravity  20°  B.  The  general  character  of  the  formation  penetrated  by 
these  wells  is :  Conglomerate  about  20';  blue  clay  and  shale ;  between 
the  depths  of  400'  and  850'  the  shale  was  interstratified  with  oil-sand. 
Below  this  depth  the  underlying  formation  consists  of  strata  of  shale 
interbedded  with  thin  strata  of  limestone  and  oil-sand.  In  one  well, 
about  2000'  southeast  of  the  main  group  of  Avells,  conglomerate  was 
penetrated  for  200';  then  shale  with  strata  of  oil-sand  to  a  depth  of  1800'. 


PROSPECT  WELLS  IN  ORANGE  COUNTY.  81 

The  oil  from  this  well  is  of  a  dark-green  color  and  shows  a  gravity  of 
about  30°  B.  This  well  yields  more  gas  than  do  the  other  wells  belong- 
ing to  this  company.  The  Santa  Fe  wells  yield  enough  gas  to  fire  the 
steam  boilers  and  for  domestic  use.  The  strata  penetrated  by  the  wells 
dip  to  the  north,  but  the  drilling  records  show  that  there  is  a  great  irreg- 
ularity in  the  angle  of  the  dip. 

4.3.9.  Union  Oil  Company  (of  Santa  Paula,  Ventura  County)  owns 
a  large  tract  of  land  near  the  mouth  of  Brea  Caiion,  and  in  May,  1900, 
had  drilled  three  wells  to  a  depth  of  200',  and  the  casing  was  full  of  oil ; 
gravity  of  oil,  21°  B.  The  formation  penetrated  appears  to  be  a  soft, 
sandy  shale. 

The  Fullerton  oil-field  is  the  only  producing  oil-field  in  Orange 
County,  and  in  1899  it  produced  108,077  bbls.  of  oil.  In  May,  1900,  the 
oil  from  the  greater  portion  of  the  Fullerton  oil-field  was  conveyed  by 
tank  cars  on  a  spur  of  the  Santa  Fe  Eailroad.  The  Union  Oil  Company 
had  just  completed  a  pipe-line  which  extends  from  the  Fullerton  oil- 
field to  Bixby ;  distance,  26  miles.  This  is  a  4"  pipe-line,  and  has  a 
head  of  450'.  The  gravity  of  the  oil  which  will  be  run  through  this  line 
averages  21°  B. 

CHAPTER  4. 

PROSPECT  WELLS  IN  ORANGE  COUNTY. 

Only  such  wells  are  mentioned  as  had  been  drilled,  or  were  being 
drilled,  when  Orange  County  was  visited  by  the  writer  in  May,  1900. 

4.4.1.  Egan  Ranch  Wells,  near  Capistrano,  in  S.E.  ^  of  N.W.  ^  of  Sec. 
36,  T.  7  S.,  R.  8  W.,  S.  B.  M.  Formation  of  Well  No.  1 :  Gravel  to  26';  clay 
to  34';  gravel  and  bowlders  to  55';  conglomerate  "cement" to  67';  sand  and 
bowlders  to  102';  black  shale,  with  a  little  gas  and  oil,  to  315'.  Well 
No.  2  (about  1000'  northeast  of  No.  1 ) :  Gravel  to  26';  clay  to  30';  gravel 
and  bowlders  to  58';  conglomerate  to  65';  black  shale  to  253'. 

4.4.2.  Jenson  Ranch  Well,  near  Wanda  railroad  station;  130'  deep. 
At  80'  stiff  blue  clay  formation  was  struck;  gas,  water,  traces  of  oil. 

4.4.3.  Marius  Meyer  (of  Fullerton)  has  a  well  1-|  miles  north  of 
Santa  Fe  Springs.  The  formation  is  gravel  and  pebbles  to  80';  clay 
and  sand  to  310'.  When  completed  this  well  threw  a  column  of  gas  and 
water  and  stones  to  the  height  of  300'  above  the  casing. 

4.4.4.  Newport  Oil  Company's  Wells  are  on  the  shore  of  Newport  Bay, 
about  1  mile  north  of  Newport.     The  records  of  these  wells  are: 

Well  No.  1:  Sand,  black  and  white,  to  50';  brownish  shale  to  120'; 

brownish  clay-shale,  spotted  with  asphaltum,  to  180';  liquid  asphaltum 

to  230';  shale,  fine  and  coarse  sand,  asphaltum,  to  245';  coarse,  granitic 

white  sand,  to  260';  blackish  shale,  globules  of  oil,  to  300';  blackish 

6— Bl9 


82  CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

shale,  little  asphaltum  and  oil  globules,  to  375';  alternate  streaks  of 
shale  and  dark  sand  to  495';  white,  coarse  sand,  to  585';  alternate  strata  of 
shale  and  sand,  sulphureted  water,  to  700';  cemented  sand  and  gravel  to 
702';  white  sand  and  salty  water,  quicksand  and  gravel,  to  775'. 

Well  No.  2:  Soil  to  8';  coarse  yellow  sand  to  60';  dark  shale  to 
220';  hard  shell  to  240';  black  shale  and  sulphur  water  to  280';  black 
shale  to  300'  (seepage  of  asphaltum);  black  shale  to  400';  hard  shell  to 
402';  hard  shell  with  asphaltum  to  460';  black  shale  to  520';  black 
shale  to  740';  sand  and  salt  water  to  765'. 

Well  No.  3:  Surface  soil  to  16';  white  rock  to  45';  soft  shale  and 
sulphur  Avater  to  140';  soft  shale  and  water  to  350';  soft  black  shale  to 
505';  hard  black  shale  to  610';  hard  stratum  of  white  shale  to  617';  hard 
black  shale,  salt  water,  to  770';  hard  white  rock  to  773';  hard  black 
shale  to  800';  hard  shale  to  830';  soft  blue  shale  to  885'. 

4.4.5.  Orange  County  Oil  Company  (of  Santa  Ana;  W.  A.  Becket, 
president).  This  company  is  operating  on  the  north  side  of  Santiago 
Canon,  about  5  miles  east  of  Olive,  and  in  May,  1900,  had  drilled  to  a 
depth  of  about  500'  and  found  traces  of  oil. 

4.4.6.  Pucnte  Crude  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  E.  Kendall,  sec- 
retar}').  In  May,  1900,  this  company  was  drilling  a  well  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Spadra  road,  near  Brea  Canon.  When  this  locality  was 
visited  this  well  had  been  drilled  to  a  depth  of  500'.  The  formation 
penetrated  was  shale  and  slate. 

4.4.7.  San  Joaquin  Ranch.  Lot  284:  Well  drilled  in  1894  by  W. 
Manser  of  San  Bernardino  County.  Formation:  Soil  and  clay  to  150'; 
clay  to  246';  gravel  and  sand  to  247';  yellow  and  red  clay  to  269';  black 
sandstone  to  303';  black  and  white  rock  to  304';  blue  slate  to  308';  hard 
blue  slate  to  309';   blue  slate,  very  hard,  to  314';  cemented  rock  to  484'. 

Lot  323:  Well  drilled  in  1894  by  W.  Manser.  Formation:  Clay  to 
62';  gravel  and  water  to  66';  soft  clay  to  102';  hard  clay  to  116';  clay 
to  124';  gravel  and  water  to  134';  hard  clay  to  150';  gravel  to  160' 
(sand  and  water);  clay  to  214';  gravel  and  water  to  220';  clay  to  234'; 
gravel  and  water  to  236';  clay  to  254';  hard  clay  to  323-';  sandy  clay 
to  340';  gravel  to  842';  clay  to  350';  sand,  gravel,  and  water  to  360' 
(water  rose  to  within  23'  of  top  of  casing);  hard  clay  to  402';  gravel  to 
404';  hard  clay  to  416';  soft  clay  to  512';  hard  clay  to  540';  soft  mud 
to  556';  gravel  and  clay  to  566';  hard  clay  to  638';  gravel,  sand,  and 
clay  to  646';  clay  to  660';  sand  to  672';  clay  to  676';  sand  with  gravel 
to  686';  clay  to  719'. 

4.4.8.  Santa  Ana  Oil  Company  has  a  well  1400'  deep,  on  east  side  of 
Newport  Bay. 

4.4.9.  Soquel  Oil  Company  has  a  well  on  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  10, 
southeast  of  the  Sante  Fe  Railroad  Company's  wells.  The  rocks  pene- 
trated evidently  belong  to  the  whitish  sandstone  formation  and  dip  to 
the  south.     Drilling. 


J 


'^y 


PHOTO  15.     CONCKETION  FROM  WHITISH  SANDSTONE  FORMATION,   PiRU,  VENTURA   COUNTY. 


.■s?a{^^l« 


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PHOTO  16.     Broken  Concretion  from  Whitish  Sandstone  Formation, 

PiRU,  Ventura  County. 


4 


THE    TERRITORY    BETWEEN    SESPE    AND    PIRU    CREEKS.  83 


P»^3^T  5. 


VENTURA  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER    1. 

THE  TERRITORY  BETWEEN  SESPE  AND  PIRU  CREEKS. 

5.1.1.  The  geological  work  done  in  Ventura  County  by  the  writer 
during  the  last  campaign  of  the  Mining  Bureau  consists  of  an  exami- 
nation of  the  formations  overlying  the  oil-measures  developed  by  the 
Union  Oil  Company  in  the  Sespe  district ;  and  of  an  examination  of 
certain  oil-yielding  rocks  of  Eocene  age,  which  are  referred  to  in 
Bulletin  No.  11  as  the  lowermost  oil-yielding  rocks  in  that  district. 
(See  Fig.  G.) 

5.1.2.  The  field-work  recorded  in  this  chapter  was  undertaken  in 
order  to  examine  the  formations  overlying  the  oil-yielding  rocks  of  the 
Sespe  district,  and  to  examine  recent  developments  in  the  lowermost 
oil-yielding  rocks  of  that  district.* 

5.1.3.  As  described  in  Bulletin  No.  11,  oil-measures  of  distinctively 
Eocene  age  underlie  the  Sespe  brownstone  formation,  and  consist  of 
certain  whitish  and  brownish  sandstones  and  dark-colored  shales.  (See 
Photo  No.  27.)  The  oil-yielding  rocks  exploited  by  the  Union  Oil  Com- 
pany in  the  Sespe  district  consist  of  sandstones  and  certain  dark- 
colored  shales  which  overlie  the  Sespe  brownstone  formation,  and  which 
represent  the  upper  portion  of  the  Eocene  formation. 

5.1.4.  The  investigation  of  the  formations  overlying  the  oil-yielding 
rocks  of  the  Sespe  district  involved  an  examination  of  the  territory  lying 
between  the  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks.  The  territory  under  consideration 
extends  south  and  east  of  the  Sespe  district;  and  it  is,  for  the  most  part, 
quite  mountainous,  many  of  the  higher  elevations  rising  to  an  altitude 
of  from  2000'  to  more  than  3000',  and  furnishing  only  roughest  pasture. 
(See  Photos  Nos.  19,  20,  21,  22.)  The  mountains  are  traversed  by 
numerous  canons,  the  principal  ones  being  Piru  Canon,  Hopper  Canon, 
and  Pole  Creek  Canon.  In  a  general  way  these  canons  run  at  an  angle 
to  the  strike  of  the  formation.     (See  Fig.  G.) 

*The  greater  portion  of  the  territory  in  which  these  lowermost  oil-yielding  rocks  are 
exposed  is  now  included  in  a  new  district  called  the  Devil's  Gate  oil-district. 


84  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

5.1.5.  Overlying  the  dark-colored  shales  of  the  Sespe  district  is  a  for- 
mation consisting  of  whitish  sandstone,  with  some  shale  and  conglom- 
erate. This  sandstone  resembles  the  whitish  sandstone  found  in  the 
Puente  Hills  and  at  Santiago  Caiion;  at  the  latter  place  it  contains 
Miocene  fossils.  These  sandstones  are  characterized  by  calcareous  con- 
cretions (see  Photos  Nos.  15,  16,  and  23);  they  contain  a  few  Miocene 
fossils,  and  in  some  places  they  are  impregnated  with  petroleum.  As 
shown  in  Fig.  G,  this  whitish  sandstone  occupies  a  large  area  in  the 
higher  mountains  between  the  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks.  It  belongs  doubt- 
less to  the  Lower  Neocene  division  of  the  Tertiary  system  in  California. 

5.1.6.  The  whitish  sandstone  is  overlain  by  a  shale  formation  which 
is  very  silicious  and  in  most  instances  shows  a  calcareous  reaction.  (See 
Photo  No.  17.) 

The  silicious  character  of  these  shales  is  very  apparent  where  the 
erosion  has  been  rapid,  or  where  the  slides  have  exposed  cliffs  of  freshly 
broken  strata.  Where  the  erosion  has  been  gradual,  the  shale  decom- 
poses and  loses  its  cherty  appearance,  and,  to  a  casual  observer,  resem- 
bles the  clay-shales  in  the  upper  portion  of  this  formation.  Above  the 
cherty  shales  there  is  a  thick  stratum  of  sandstone.  (See  cross-sections 
at  Hopper  Creek,  Figs.  9  and  10.)  Above  this  stratum  of  sandstone,  the 
shale  varies  from  sandy  to  clayey,  and  for  the  most  part  is  either  reddish 
or  brownish  in  color.  (See  Photo  No.  18.)  In  some  places  these  shales 
exhibit  a  slaty  cleavage,  and  apparently  have  been  bleached  by  the 
action  of  sulphureted  vapor.  The  physical  appearance  and  geologic  age 
of  the  clay-shales  correspond  to  that  of  the  clay-shale  formations  seen 
in  the  Puente  Hills  and  at  Los  Angeles.  As  hereinafter  described,  the 
lower  portion  of  this  shale  formation  is  interbedded  with  sandstone, 
which  is  frequently  impregnated  with  petroleum.  The  writer  obtained 
a  small  collection  of  fossils  from  the  clay-shales  which  are  sufficient  to 
identify  the  formation  as  of  Middle  Neocene  age.  It  is  probable  that 
the  cherty  shales,  like  the  whitish  sandstones  which  underlie  them, 
represent  the  Lower  Neocene  in  the  territory  under  consideration. 

The  shale  of  Middle  Neocene  age  forms  the  greater  por'tion  of  the 
foothills  between  the  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks,  and  a  large  portion  of  the 
mountains  east  of  Piru  Creek  is  composed  of  shale  and  sandstone 
belonging  to  this  formation. 

As  is  elsewhere  mentioned,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  these  shales 
overlap  the  whitish  sandstone  formation.  West  of  the  Castac  Creek, 
shales  and  sandstone,  resembling  in  physical  appearance  the  Neocene 
formations,  rest  on  granitic  rocks;  and  in  San  Francisco  Cafion  similar 
looking  shales  and  sandstones,  which  contain  fossils  representing  the 
Middle  Neocene  epoch,  rest  on  metamorphosed  sedimentary  rocks. 

Extending  from  the  Tar  Creek  Divide  almost  to  Piru  Creek,  there  is 
a  body  of  shale  resembling  the  Neocene  shale,  and  resting  on  the  dark- 


m , 


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:r|c"7^^. 


PHOTO  17.     SiLicious  Shales,  Hori'Eu  Caxon,  Ventuka  County. 


PHOTO  18.    Clay-Shales,  Hopper  CA.\oNf  Ventura  County. 


THE   TERRITORY    BETWEEN    SESPE    AND    PIRU    CREEKS.  85 

colored  shales  of  the  Sespe  district.  It  would  require  a  closer  examina- 
tion than  it  was  practicable  to  give  in  the  time  at  the  disposal  of  the 
writer,  in  order  to  determine  whether  this  body  of  shale  is  part  of  the 
Sespe  formation  or  belongs  to  the  Middle  Neocene  series.  The  writer 
could  find  no  fossils  in  it,  and,  physically,  it  resembles  the  last- 
mentioned  formation. 

5.1.7.  In  the  lowest  tier  of  foothills  between  the  Sespe  and  Piru 
creeks,  a  conglomerate  formation  is  exposed.  This  conglomerate  over- 
lies the  shale  formation.  Between  the  Sespe  Creek  and  the  village  of 
Piru  it  may  be  observed  only  in  a  few  places,  but  at  Piru  it  forms  a 
bluff  of  considerable  altitude.  In  the  foothills  east  of  Piru  Creek  this 
conglomerate  is  the  prevailing  formation,  and  in  some  places  is  found 
resting  on  the  shales  of  the  Middle  Neocene  series.  The  writer  obtained 
a  small  collection  of  fossils  from  this  conglomerate,  and  Dr.  Merriam 
refers  them  to  the  Middle  Neocene  epoch. 

5.1.8.  As  stated  in  Bulletin  No.  11,  the  whitish  sandstone,  the  shale, 
and  conglomerate  formations,  compose  the  foothills  at  the  base  of  Mount 
Cayetana,  which  rises  to  the  westward  of  the  Arroyo  Sespe,  and  resting 
on  the  conglomerate  are  sandy  formations  and  some  clay-shales  con- 
taining numerous  distinctively  Pliocene  fossils,  clearly  representing  the 
Upper  Neocene  formation. 

5.1.9.  It  is  somewhat  difficult  to  outline  the  contact  between  the 
whitish  sandstone  and  the  Middle  Neocene  shales,  partly  on  account  of 
the  complexity  of  the  geological  structure,  and  partly  because  through- 
out a  large  area  the  upper  portions  of  the  ridges  are  composed  of  shale, 
while  the  ravines  cut  through  into  the  sandstone,  forming  an  area 
between  the  whitish  sandstones  and  the  Neocene  shales  in  which  both 
the  sandstone  and  the  shale  formations  are  represented.  (See  Photo 
No.  21.) 

5.1.10.  Between  the  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks  there  appear  to  be  two 
systems  of  folds:  dominant  folds  having  a  strike  of  east  of  south,  such 
as  the  fold  marked  DD  (see  Fig.  G),  and  minor  folds,  which  have  a  strike 
east  of  north,  the  latter  folds  being  the  more  numerous.  These  folds 
are  described  in  detailed  accounts  given  of  the  Piru  and  Hopper  caiions, 
but  the  time  at  the  disposal  of  the  writer  did  not  admit  of  their  being 
traced  through  their  entire  length. 

Between  the  Piru  and  Hopper  canons  the  geological  structure  is 
complicated  by  fault-lines  extending,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  direction 
of  the  strike  of  the  formation.  The  complex  folding  and  the  fault-lines 
have  broken  up  the  strata  into  blocks,  which  have  subsequently  been 
tilted,  causing  a  diversity  of  strike  at  variance  with  the  strike  of  the 
original  folds.  The  effect  of  these  fault-lines  will  be  spoken  of  later 
on.  In  some  places  it  is  evident  that  the  rocks  are  deeply  fissured, 
although  no  evidence  of  displacement  can  be  observed.     At  some  of  these 


86  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING   BUREAU. 

points  sulphureted  vapors  have  decomposed  and  bleached  the  rocks 
and  formed  deposits  of  sulphur.  (See  Photo  No.  19.)  This  solfataric 
action  is  similar  to  that  observed  in  the  Puente  Hills  near  Whittier, 
and  at  the  Sulphur  Mountains  in  Ventura  County.  The  last-mentioned 
locality  was  described  in  our  Bulletin  No.  11. 

At  the  point  marked  "  Sulphur  Mine"  in  Fig.  G,  about  3  miles  east  of 
Fillmore,  a  company  exploited  one  of  these  deposits  with  a  view  of 
obtaining  sulphur  for  commercial  purposes.  After  removing  the  sur- 
face of  decomposed  and  bleached  rock,  which  was  more  or  less  impreg- 
nated with  sulphur,  a  very  thin  stratum  containing  about  30%  of  sulphur 
was  found.  At  a  depth  of  3'  the  rock  was  too  hot  to  be  ffafely  handled 
with  the  bare  hand. 

5.1.11.  As  previously  mentioned,  there  are  numerous  evidences  of 
petroleum  in  the  formations  overlying  the  Eocene  rocks.  In  some 
places,  notably  west  of  Piru  Creek,  there  are  places  where  the  whitish 
sandstones  are  more  or  less  impregnated  with  petroleum,  forming  a  dry 
oil-sand;  and  the  oil-yielding  strata  at  the  Modelo  and  Sunset  oil-wells 
are  composed  of  sandstones  which  may  be  classed  as  belonging  to  this 
series  of  rocks.  At  the  Fortuna  and  Piru  oil-wells,  the  oil-yielding 
strata  may  be  referred  to  the  lower  portion  of  the  Neocene  shale  forma- 
tion. Sandstones  belonging  to  this  series  and  highly  impregnated  with 
petroleum,  are  exposed  on  the  Piru  ranch,  in  Hopper  and  Pole  cafions, 
and  at  many  other  places.  At  one  point  on  the  Piru  ranch  the  conglom- 
erate is  impregnated  with  petroleum. 

5.1.12.  The  Hopper  Canon  was  selected  as  a  suitable  locality  at 
which  to  investigate  the  rocks  overlying  the  Sespe  formation,  for, 
throughout  a  great  portion  of  its  course,  it  cuts  through  these  rocks  in  a 
direction  which  is  nearly  at  right  angles  to  their  strike.  Moreover, 
there  are  two  groups  of  producing  wells  in  this  canon,  and  prospect  work 
has  resulted  in  trails  being  cut  which  facilitate  geological  research. 

5.1.13.  The  formation  and  structure  observed  between  the  mouth  of 
Hopper  Canon  and  the  Fortuna  oil-wells,  are  shown  in  Fig.  9,  The 
first  bench  of  the  foothills  to  the  east  of  Hopper  Canon  is  formed  of  con- 
glomerate, and  the  dip  of  the  strata  is  a  little  east  of  south  at  an  angle 
of  about  60°.  This  conglomerate  rests  on  the  Neocene  shales,  which  are 
much  disturbed,  and  which  dip  both  east  of  south  and  west  of  south. 
The  shale  rests  on  sandstone,  and  this  rests  on  hard  silicious  shale.  At 
Station  132  (see  Fig.  9)  there  is  an  anticlinal  axis.  This  is  the  axis  of 
fold  marked  BB  in  Fig.  G.  On  the  northern  limb  of  this  fold  the 
silicious  shale  shows  a  thickness  of  more  than  1500'  and  is  capped  with 
sandstone.  There  is  evidently  a  fault  along  the  axis  of  BB,  for  an  air- 
saddle  drawn  from  the  contact  of  the  shale  and  sandstone  on  the 
north  side  of  the  fold  would  not  connect  with  the  point  of  contact 
between  the  shale  and  sandstone  on  the  south  side  of  the  fold. 


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THE   TERRITORY    BETWEEN    SESPE   AND    PIRU   CREEKS. 


87 


FIG.  9 

CPOSS  SECT/OU  BETWEEN  STA.  ZOO.  N.E.  of BUCKHOPN R.R._ 
DEPOT,  i  STA.20r  NEAR  BRADLEY  8(HUTTONS  WELL  //v HOPPER  CANO/V. 


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88  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

Station  122  is  on  a  ridge  which  rises  to  an  elevation  of  more  than 
188'.  This  ridge  is  capped  with  sandstone,  which  lies  on  the  silicious 
shale  formation  in  the  syncline  between  fold  BB  and  a  short  fold  marked 
EE  in  Fig.  G,  which  latter  fold  lies  farther  to  the  north.  Between 
Stations  121  and  113  the  formation  is  silicious  shale,  which,  in  this 
locality,  constitutes  the  south  limb  of  fold  EE,  the  dip  being  east  of  south 
at  an  angle  of  about  56°.  At  Station  113,  the  axis  of  fold  EE  is  exposed. 
There  is  probably  a  fault  at  this  point,  for  the  rocks  are  decomposed  by 
sulphureted  vapor  and  impregnated  with  bituminous  matter  and  sulphur; 
on  the  north  limb  of  this  fold  the  formation  is  sandstone.  Farther  to 
the  north,  another  short  fold  is  shown,  marked  FF.  This  fold  has 
a  more  northerly  course  than  folds  EE  and  BB.  Both  limbs  of  fold  FF 
are  formed  of  sandstone,  but  it  is  said  that  in  the  Fortuna  oil-wells, 
which  are  situated  on  this  fold,  a  silicious  shale  resembling  that  shown 
on  folds  BB  and  EE  has  been  penetrated  for  several  hundred  feet. 

The  formations  immediately  overlying  the  silicious  shale  may  be 
observed  at  Hutton  Peak,  on  the  west  side  of  Hopper  Caiion,  where  an 
escarpment  rises  to  an  altitude  of  more  than  2200'.     (See  Fig.  10.) 

5.1.14.  A  cross-section,  giving  a  view  of  the  formations  exposed  at 
this  point,  is  shown  in  Fig.  10.  At  Hutton  Peak,  clay-shale  interstrati- 
fied  with  impure  limestone  shows  a  thickness  of  990',  and  dips  to  the 
west  of  north  at  an  angle  of  about  40°.  This  shale  rests  on  a  light- 
colored  sandstone  about  1100'  in  thickness.  The  lowermost  strata  of 
this  body  of  sandstone  are  more  or  less  impregnated  with  petroleum. 
This  sandstone  rests  on  silicious  shale.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the 
sandstone  shown  in  Fig.  10  corresponds  to  the  sandstone  seen  at  the 
Fortuna  wells.  The  formation  shown  in  Fig.  10  corresponds  to  the 
formations  underlying  the  conglomerate  between  Stations  200  and  132, 
Fig.  9 ;  but  in  Fig.  10  the  entire  thickness  of  the  clay-shale  does  not 
appear,  for  there  is  a  large  body  of  shale  occupying  a  syncline  between 
Hutton  Peak  and  the  point  marked  "Minarets"  on  Fig.  G. 

5.1.15.  When  this  locality  was  visited  by  the  writer,  Messrs.  Bradley 
&  Hutton  were  drilling  a  well  in  the  silicious  shale  near  the  axis  of  fold 
EE.  Several  years  ago  a  well  was  drilled  in  Hopper  Caiion  near  the 
axis  of  fold  BB.  It  is  said  that  there  was  a  showing  of  oil  all  the  way 
down  to  a  depth  of  about  700',  but  a  remunerative  quantity  of  oil  was 
not  obtained. 

5.1.16.  Investigations  in  the  vicinity  of  Piru  and  Hopper  canons 
lead  to  the  conclusion  that  the  silicious  shale  shown  in  Fig.  9  constitutes 
either  the  lowermost  portion  of  the  Neocene  shales  previously  mentioned 
or  the  uppermost  portion  of  the  Lower  Neocene  formation.  A  compari- 
son of  the  silicious  shales  seen  at  the  Modelo  oil-wells  with  those  in 
Hopper  Gallon  warrants  the  conclusion  that  both  are  of  the  same  geologi- 
cal horizon.    The  writer  has  dwelt  somewhat  at  length  on  these  silicious 


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THE    TERRITORY    BETWEEN    SESPE    AND    PIRU   CREEKS.  89 

shales  because  they  constitute  a  landmark  in  the  Neocene  formations  of 
the  locality  under  discussion,  and  probably  correspond  to  the  whitish 
shales  noted  in  other  localities. 

5.1.17.  Between  Hopper  Caiion  and  Piru  Creek,  the  whitish  sand- 
stone, the  shale,  and  the  conglomerate  formations  are  well  exposed. 
(See  Photos  Nos.  21  and  22.)  On  San  Felician  Creek,  near  the  south- 
east corner  of  the  Piru  ranch,  a  few  fossils  were  obtained  from  the 
shales,  and  are  referred  by  Dr.  Merriam  to  the  Middle  Neocene  epoch. 
(See  table  of  fossils.)  East  of  Piru  Creek,  the  conglomerate  forms  the 
greater  portion  of  the  foothills.  These  conglomerates  contain  Neocene 
fossils,  in  which  Pliocene  forms  preponderate.  The  pebbles  forming  the 
conglomerate  are  principally  granitic,  and  contain  much  black  mica.  As 
a  general  rule,  the  pebbles  are  not  very  firmly  cemented  together. 

5.1.18.  At  Piru  Creek,  and  throughout  the  territory  adjacent  thereto, 
the  writer  traced  the  aforementioned  formations.  The  whitish  sand- 
stone is  exposed  in  Packard  Canon,  and  although  it  is  in  many  places 
covered  up  with  the  shale  overlying  it,  yet  it  can  be  traced  westward  to 
the  main  body  of  whitish  sandstone  which  lies  between  Piru  Creek  and 
the  Sespe  district. 

East  of  Piru  Creek,  a  sandstone  formation  may  be  followed  for  half  a 
mile  or  more.  West  of  Piru  Creek  the  same  formation  is  exposed  along 
the  upper  portion  of  Modelo  Caiion,  and  extends  thence  to  Hopper 
Caiion.  There  are  several  other  points  at  which  a  whitish  sandstone  is 
exposed  by  faults  in  the  formation,  or  by  the  erosion  of  the  overlying 
shales.  In  many  instances  it  is  difficult  to  determine  whether  to  regard 
the  exposed  sandstone  as  belonging  to  the  whitish  sandstone  of  the 
Lower  Neocene,  or  as  strata  of  sandstone  belonging  to  the  lower  portion 
of  the  Middle  Neocene,  the  only  difference  being  that  the  Lower  Neocene 
sandstone  is  harder  than  that  of  the  Upper  Neocene  formation. 

5.1.19.  The  typical  shales  of  the  Middle  Neocene  formation  extend 
about  half  a  mile  east  of  Piru  Creek,  and  northward  up  Piru  Creek  to  a 
point  about  a  mile  north  of  Holser  Canon.  These  shales  are  exposed 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  Holser  Caiion,  and  extend  about 
half  a  mile  farther  southward.  On  the  west  side  of  Piru  Creek  the 
Middle  Neocene  shales  and  sandstone  form  the  lower  portion  of  the 
mountain  slope  between  Packard  and  Modelo  canons;  south  of  Modelo 
Caiion  they  constitute  the  prevailing  formation  between  Piru  and 
Hopper  canons,  and  west  of  Piru  Peak  they  may  be  seen  resting  on  the 
whitish  sandstone  formation.  (See  Photo  No.  22.)  As  previously 
mentioned,  the  sandstone  in  the  lower  portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene 
formation  is  in  some  places  more  or  less  impregnated  with  petroleum. 
On  the  accompanying  sketch-map  of  the  territory  between  Piru  and 
Hopper  canons,  such  oil-sands  are  marked  by  three  stars,  and  oil- 
springs  by  one  star.     (See  Fig.  G.) 


90  CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

5.1.20.  The  conglomerate  overlying  the  Neocene  shales  extends  over 
a  large  area  south  and  east  of  Piru  Creek;  and  constitutes,  for  the  most 
part,  the  lower  foothills  on  the  north  side  of  the  valley  of  the  Santa 
Clara  River  between  Piru  and  Hopper  canons. 

5.1.21.  The  geological  structure  of  the  territory  under  discussion  is 
that  of  closely  compressed  anticlinal  folds,  which  are  so  modified  by 
faulting  that  in  some  instances  it  would  seem  more  appropriate  to 
describe  them  as  faults  rather  than  folds;  but  since  they  are  lines  of 
disturbance  along  which  an  anticlinal  structure  prevails,  they  are  herein 
treated  as  separate  folds.  As  shown  in  Fig.  11,  which  represents  a  cross- 
section  through  the  mountains  between  the  railroad  bridge  at  Piru  and 
Piru  Peak,  there  are  four  short  but  distinct  folds  in  a  distance  of  less 
than  three  miles.  These  folds  are  marked  on  Fig.  G  as  AA,  BB,  CC,  and 
DD,  respectively. 

5.1.22.  The  general  course  of  folds  A  A,  BB,  and  CC  is  about  N.  75°  E., 
while  that  of  DD  appears  to  be  west  of  north.  Folds  AA,  BB,  and  CC 
appear  to  be  cross-folds  to  fold  DD.  The  position  of  these  folds  may  be 
noted  by  referring  to  Fig.  G. 

5.1.23.  An  inspection  of  Fig.  11  shows  that  folds  AA,  BB,  CC,  and 
DD  are  inclined  folds,  although  fold  CC  shows  little  inclination,  owing 
to  faults  at  or  near  its  axis.  The  general  inclination  of  the  axis  of  these 
folds  is  toward  the  south  at  an  angle  of  about  10°  from  the  vertical. 

5.1.24.  An  investigation  of  these  folds  shows  that  their  structure 
becomes  very  irregular  as  Piru  Creek  is  approached.  Some  idea  of  this 
irregularity  may  be  gathered  from  a  short  description  of  the  lines  of 
disturbance  represented  by  folds  AA,  BB,  CC,  and  DD. 

5.1.25.  Fold  A  A  was  observed  only  at  Station  3  near  the  railroad 
bridge  at  Piru.  If  the  axis  of  this  fold  were  prolonged  to  the  west,  it 
would  pass  out  into  the  valley  of  the  Santa  Clara  River  at  Piru  ;  if  pro- 
longed to  the  east,  it  would  pass  into  the  hills  east  of  Piru  Creek. 

5.1.26.  Fold  BB,  as  observed  at  Station  4,  is  an  inclined  fold,  its 
southern  limb  being  the  steepest.  The  axis  of  this  fold  may  be  followed 
westward  from  Station  4  to  Hopper  Creek,  where  the  fold  is  upright* 
At  Station  4,  the  fold  is  evidently  faulted  at  its  axis,  the  upthrow 
being  to  the  north.  Near  Station  4,  there  is  an  oil-spring  and  a  wide  out- 
crop of  oil-sand.  The  southern  limb  of  the  fold  is  a  very  short  one  and 
is  inclined  at  a  very  great  angle.  Oil-springs  are  marked  with  one 
star  on  the  accompanying  map.  Farther  eastward  along  this  fold,  all 
traces  of  a  southern  dip  disappear  as  Piru  Creek  is  approached. 
The  direction  and  angle  of  the  dip  are  very  irregular,  and  there  is  an 
immense  outcrop  of  sand  more  or  less  impregnated  with  petroleum.  It 
is  not  improbable  that  at  this  point  fold  BB  is  overturned  ;  i.  e.,  bent 
over  toward  the  south  to  such  an  extent  that  all  the  strata  dip  toward 
the  north. 


PHOTO  23.    Concretionary  Strata,  Whitish  Sandstone  Formation,  near  Fortuna 

Oil-Wells,  Ventura  County. 


PHOTO  24.    Overturned  Fold,  Modelo  Canon,  Near  Pibu,  Ventura  County. 


I 


THE    TERRITORY!    BETWEEN    SESPE    AND    PIRU    CREEKS.  91 

Farther  eastward  along  fold  BB,  the  structure  is  very  complex, 
and  there  is  evidence  of  faulting.  At  Station  5  in  Modelo  Caiion,  an 
anticlinal  structure  is  seen,  which  lines  up  fairly  well  with  the  axis  of 
fold  BB  ;  and  it  may  not,  perhaps,  be  too  presumptuous  to  regard  the 
fold  at  Station  5  as  a  continuation  of  that  fold.  Near  Station  5  there 
is  a  bed  of  brea.  Brea-beds  are  marked  by  two  stars  on  the  accompany- 
ing map.  If  a  line  were  drawn  from  the  axis  of  fold  BB  in  Hopper 
Canon  along  the  line  of  strike  in  Modelo  Caiion  to  Station  5,  and  then 
extended  eastward  to  Piru  Caiion,  it  would  be  found  to  reach  Piru 
Creek  not  far  from  Station  6,  where  a  well-defined  anticlinal  axis  is 
exposed;  but  the  inclination  of  this  axis  is  to  the  north.     (See  Photo 

I    No.  34.)     The  rocks  composing  fold  BB  are,  for  the  most  part,  shales, 

"    and   contain    sandstones,  which,  as    before   mentioned,  constitute   the 

,     lower  portion  of  the  shale  formation. 

P  5.1.27.  Fold  CC  can  be  traced  only  a  short  distance  west  of  Modelo 
Canon.     Near  Station  7,  on  the  north  side  of  Modelo  Canon,  an  anti- 

tclinal  structure  is  seen  which  coincides  with  the  course  of  the  axis  of 
fold  CC;  but  a  short  distance  farther  to  the  northeast  the  structure  is 
that  of  a  well-defined  overturned  fold.  (See  Photo  No.  24.)  The  rocks 
constituting  fold  CC  are  shales  and  sandstones,  the  latter  being  exposed 
in  the  bottoms  of  the  deep  canons. 

5.1.28.  Fold  DD  is  exposed  at  Station  9  at  the  head  of  Modelo 
Caiion.  (See  Photo  No.  33.)  It  is  probable  that  the  Sunset  oil-wells 
in  Hopper  Canon  are  situated  on  this  fold.  As  previously  mentioned, 
the  Modelo  wells  are  in  the  Modelo  Canon.  Most  of  these  wells  are 
situated  on  the  north  slope  of  the  fold,  but  some  are  on  the  south  side. 
(See  Photo  No.  25.)  The  owners  of  the  Modelo  wells  state  that  similar 
oil-yielding  formations  have  been  struck  on  both  the  north  and  the 
south  sides  of  this  fold.  There  are  good  reasons  for  believing  that  the 
strike  of  the  axis  of  fold  DD  is  west  of  north,  and  it  is  so  marked  on 
Fig.  G.  The  rocks  constituting  fold  DD  are  mainly  whitish  sandstone, 
which,  as  before  mentioned,  is  capped  with  silicious  shale  a  short  dis- 
tance north  of  the  Modelo  oil-wells.  In  some  places  the  sandstone  is 
impregnated  with  petroleum.  It  is  said  that  one  of  the  wells  of  the 
Modelo  Oil  Company  penetrates  oil-soaked  sandstone  for  more  than  500'. 

5.1.29.  Between  fold  A  A  and  Piru  Peak  there  appear  to  be  four  fault- 
lines.  One  of  these  is  a  short  distance  south  of  the  axis  of  fold  DD,  a 
second  is  a  short  distance  south  of  the  axis  of  fold  CC,  a  third  on  the 
south  limb  of  fold  DD,  and  a  fourth  between  Modelo  and  Piru  peaks. 
(See  Photo  No.  20.)  Fig.  G  shows  the  position  of  the  axis  of  fold  DD,  to 
the  north  of  which  a  mass  of  sandstone,  capped  with  shale,  rises 
abruptly  for  about  1000'. 

Reference  to  Fig.  11  shows  that  on  Modelo  Peak  strata  of  shale 
pitch  to  the  north  at  an  angle  of  about  50°;  and  that  on  Piru  Peak 


92  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

strata  of  hard  sandstone  pitch  to  the  south  at  an  angle  of  about  50°. 
Taking  into  consideration  the  relative  positions  of  the  points  referred 
to,  it  is  evident  that  displacements  must  have  occurred,  (See  Photo 
No.  20.) 

5.1.30.  North  of  Modelo  Caiion,  the  geological  structure  is  complex. 
Both  the  shale  and  the  white  sandstone  formations  are  represented. 
Sands  impregnated  with  petroleum  are  exposed  at  several  points,  notably 
as  follows :  In  Lime  Kiln  Canon,  where,  in  the  whitish  sandstone 
formation,  strata  showing  oil-stain  may  be  observed;  at  Station  13  in 
Piru  Canon ;  at  Station  12  in  Piru  Canon,  in  the  shale  formation ;  and 
in  Packard  Canon,  where  the  shale  is  decomposed  and  impregnated  with 
sulphur. 

5.1.31.  At  Station  13,  at  the  Narrows  of  Piru  Creek,  the  axis  of 
another  fold  is  exposed,  the  strike  of  the  fold  being  N.  80°  E.,  or  there- 
abouts. The  formation  exposed  at  Station  13  is  whitish  sandstone,  and 
near  the  axis  it  is  impregnated  with  petroleum. 

5.1.32.  In  the  vicinity  of  Station  14,  on  the  east  side  of  Piru  Creek, 
there  is  a  notable  instance  of  local  variation  in  geological  structure,  for 
the  direction  in  which  the  strata  dip  is  S.  50°  E.  It  appears  that  a 
block  of  strata  has  been  affected  by  some  earth  movement,  probably 
block-tilting,  which  has  given  the  strata  a  more  easterly  dip  than  that 
which  prevails  in  the  adjacent  territory.  The  block  of  strata  referred  to 
shows  a  maximum  thickness  of  about  2000',  as  calculated  from  the  ex- 
posed rocks.  The  formation  is  shale  and  sandstone.  It  is  overlain 
by  conglomerate,  which  is  exposed  farther  eastward.  At  the  point 
referred  to,  nearly  all  the  sandstone  strata  are,  or  have  been,  impregnated 
with  petroleum. 


CHAPTER  2. 

RECENT  EXPLOITATIONS   OF    THE   EOCENE   FORMATIONS 

ON  SESPE  CREEK. 

5.2.1.  In  the  foregoing  chapter  certain  formations  were  referred  to 
as  being  the  lowermost  oil-yielding  rocks  in  the  Sespe  district.  The 
territory  in  which  prospect  wells  have  been  drilled  in  this  formation 
embraces  what  was  formerly  a  portion  of  the  Sespe  oil-district  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Devil's  Gate.  (See  Figs.  G  and  H.)  This  territory  is  now 
included  in  the  Devil's  Gate  oil-district.  The  boundaries  of  the  district 
are  as  follows:  "From  center  stake  of  south  line  of  Sec.  1,  T.  4  N., 
R.  20  W.,  S,  B.  M.,  continuing  west  6  miles;  thence  north  8  miles;  thence 
east  6  miles;  thence  south  8  miles,  crossing  the  Big  Sespe  River  to  place 
of  beginning,  being  part  in  T,  4,  and  part  in  T.  5  of  aforesaid  meridian." 


EXPLOITATIONS   OF   EOCENE    FORMATIONS  ON   SESPE   CREEK.  93 

(W.  Cardwell  of  Temple  Block,  Los  Angeles,  Recorder.)  Through  the 
above-described  territory  the  Sespe  Creek  has  worn  a  canon,  the  walls 
of  which  in  some  places  rise  to  the  height  of  more  than  1000'  above  the 
bed  of  the  stream  as  shown  in  Bulletin  No.  11,  published  by  the  Cali- 
fornia State  Mining  Bureau,  Part  2,  Chapter  1,  Paragraphs  17  and  18. 
The  formations  which  have  been  cut  through  by  the  Sespe  Creek  in 
the  territory  referred  to  consist  of  the  Sespe  brownstone  formation,  and 
an  underlying  formation  consisting  of  a  series  of  whitish  and  buff- 
colored  sandstones  and  dark-colored  shales;  all  these  rocks  being  of 
Eocene  age.     (See  Photo  No.  27.) 

As  stated  in  Bulletin  No.  11  (see  Part  3,  Chapter  2,  Paragraphs  7 
and  14),  the  writer  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  formation  underlying  the 
Sespe  brownstone  contains  a  distinct  oil-yielding  horizon.  When  he 
investigated  the  Sespe  district  in  1896,  he  found  oil-springs  in  this 
formation  at  the  following  places:  On  the  Redstone  Peak  anticline,  at 
Tar-Hole,  near  the  Devil's  Gate,  and  at  the  oil-wells  then  owned  by  the 
California  Oil  Company — all  in  the  Sespe  district;  also  at  Echo  Falls, 
north  of  the  Silverthread  oil-district. 

In  1896,  the  only  wells  penetrating  this  formation  were  two  on  the 
Razzle  Dazzle  claim  in  the  Sespe  district,  then  belonging  to  the  Cali- 
fornia Oil  Company,  and  two  abandoned  wells  of  no  great  depth  in 
Echo  Canon  north  of  the  Sisar  Valley.  At  this  writing,  four  wells  have 
been  drilled  on  the  property  formerly  owned  by  the  California  Oil  Com- 
pany. These  wells  vary  from  700'  to  1100'  in  depth,  and  are  said  to 
produce  about  1000  bbls.  of  oil  a  month. 

As  described  in  Bulletin  No.  11,  an  anticlinal  fold,  the  axis  of  which 
is  well  exposed  at  the  head  of  Coldwater  Canon,  may  be  traced  eastward 
through  the  Tar-Hole  claim  and  the  Razzle  Dazzle  oil-claim.  The 
southing  of  the  axis  of  the  fold  between  the  Tar-Hole  claim  and  the 
Razzle  Dazzle  is  principally  due  to  the  fact  that  the  south  limb  of  the 
fold  is  much  steeper  than  the  north  limb,  and  that  the  Razzle  Dazzle  is 
situated  at  a  considerably  greater  elevation  than  the  Tar-Hole  claim. 

5.2.2.  The  wells  on  the  Razzle  Dazzle  claim,  which  are  now  operated 
by  the  Big  Sespe  Oil  Company,  penetrate  formations  immediately  under- 
lying the  Sespe  brownstone  formation.  (See  record  of  Big  Sespe  Oil 
Company.) 

5.2.3.  The  wells  which  are  being  drilled  by  Henley,  Crawford  &  Co. 
are  situated  on  the  Tar-Hole  and  Mile-Square  claims,  respectively. 
These  wells  penetrate  rocks  which  lie  at  a  depth  of  more  than  500' 
below  the  Sespe  brownstone.  (See  Photo  No.  27.)  The  well  sunk 
on  the  Tar-Hole  claim  is  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  35,  T.  5  N.,  R.  20  W., 
S.  B.  M.  It  is  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Sespe  Creek  and  north  of  the 
Devil's  Gate.  The  drilling  record  of  this  well  shows  that  the  follow- 
ing strata  were  penetrated:  Reddish  shale  to  80';  reddish  shale  with 


94  CALIFOENIA   STATE    MINING   BUREAU. 

heavy  oil  to  132';  blue  shale  and  whitish  sandstone  to  240';  hard  white 
sandstone  (fissured)  to  420';  blue  shale  and  whitish  sandstone  to  562'. 
Enough  gas  to  run  a  80  H.  P.  boiler  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  382'. 
This  well  yielded  about  40  bbls.  of  heavy  oil  a  day.  All  the  oil  came 
from  the  reddish  shale  between  the  depths  of  80'  and  132'.  After  well 
No.  1  had  been  drilled,  well  No.  2  was  commenced.  As  shown  in  Fig.  H, 
both  these  wells  are  situated  near  the  axis  of  a  fold.  This  fold  was 
described  in  Bulletin  No.  11  as  the  Coldwater  Canon  fold.  (See  cross- 
section  in  Fig.  H.) 

Mr.  Henley,  who  has  made  a  careful  study  of  the  formations  exposed 
at  and  near  the  last-mentioned  wells,  states  that  they  are  composed  of 
the  following  strata: 

Red  shales 1  „ 

Fine-grained,  dark-brown  sandstone  (good  building-stone) I 

Thick-bedded  conglomerate  and  brown  sandstone j'  brownstone 


Red,  oil-bearing  shales formation. 


Pearl-colored  sandstones 

Blue  shales  with  strata  of  whitish  sandstone  . 

Oyster  shells.    (This  formation  yields  some  oil.) 

Red  shale j. 

White  coarse  sandstone 

Red  shales  (oil) 

Whitish  sandstone 


Formation 

underlying 

Sespe 
brownstone. 


5.2.4.  There  are  several  springs  of  petroleum  issuing  from  the  forma- 
tions exposed  in  the  Sespe  Canon  to  the  north  of  the  Henley  &  Craw- 
ford wells.  Oil-claims  have  been  located  as  far  north  as  the  Redstone 
Peak  anticline.  On  the  Sulphur  Spring  claim  there  is  an  extensive 
seepage  of  petroleum  from  strata  of  shale  immediately  underlying  the 
Sespe  brownstone  formation.  It  is  probable  that  this  petroleum  has  its 
source  in  the  same  strata  as  those  which  yield  the  petroleum  found  on 
the  Razzle  Dazzle  claim.  North  of  the  Sulphur  Spring  claim,  the  Sespe 
Creek  traverses  the  syncline  between  the  Coldwater  and  Redstone  anti- 
clines, and  there  appears  to  be  a  cross-fold  running  nearly  north  and 
south,  the  axis  of  which  is  cut  through  by  the  Sespe  Creek.  All  the 
seepages  along  the  Sespe  Creek  come  from  the  formation  immediately 
underlying  the  Sespe  brownstone.  Where  the  Sespe  Creek  has  cut 
through  the  axis  of  the  Redstone  Peak  anticline,  there  are  springs  of 
warm  water  accompanied  by  petroleum. 

5.2.5.  From  the  foregoing  it  appears  that  the  rocks  exposed  in  the 
territory  between  the  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks  may  be  classed  as  follows: 

First — Eocene  rocks.  These  include  the  light-colored  and  whitish 
sandstones  underlying  the  Sespe  brownstone,  the  Sespe  brownstone, 
certain  drab  sandstones,  and  dark-colored  shales.  In  this  series  of 
rocks  there  are  two  horizons  in  which  petroleum  has  been  discovered: 
(1)  In  the   formations  underlying  the  Sespe  brownstone  and  in   the 


PRODUCTIVE    OIL-WELLS    IN    VENTURA    COUNTY.  95 

lower  strata  of  the  brownstone  formation;  (2)  In  the  upper  strata  of  the 
Sespe  brownstone  formation,  in  the  drab  sandstones,  and  in  the  dark- 
colored  shales.  These  formations  were  described  in  Bulletin  No.  11, 
Part  2,  Chapter  1. 

Second — Lower  Neocene  (Miocene)  rocks.  These  include  a  series  of 
whitish  sandstones,  shales,  and  conglomerates,  the  whitish  sandstone 
predominating.  Petroleum  is  found  in  this  formation  at  the  Modelo 
and  the  Sunset  oil-wells;  and  at  several  points  these  sandstones  are 
more  or  less  impregnated  with  petroleum. 

Third — Middle  Neocene  formations.  These  include  silicious  shales, 
sandstones,  clay-shales,  and  conglomerate,  the  shales  predominating. 
In  this  series,  petroleum  is  found  in  the  sandstones  interstratifying  the 
lower  portion  of  the  shale  formation.  Petroleum  is  found  in  this  forma- 
tion at  the  Fortuna  oil-wells  and  on  the  Piru  ranch. 

It  is  admitted  that  in  California  the  Neocene  formations  lie  non- 
conformabl}^  on  the  Eocene  rocks,  although  the  non-conformability  is 
not  everywhere  apparent.  The  thickness  of  the  formations  mentioned 
is  a  difficult  problem,  owing  to  complex  geological  structure,  and  to  our 
ignorance  as  to  the  amount  of  erosion  which  has  taken  place;  still,  some 
approximate  estimates  are  in  order.  Thus,  if  the  outcrop  of  the  Eocene 
formations  is  traversed  from  the  Sespe  Creek  to  the  bottom  of  the  whitish 
sandstone,  one  might  be  led  to  assign  to  the  Eocene  formations  exposed 
in  the  Sespe  district  a  thickness  of  about  2  miles.  In  such  case  there 
is  no  doubt  that  the  true  thickness  would  be  exaggerated,  the  great 
apparent  thickness  being  due  to  faulting.  If  the  whitish  sandstone 
(Lower  Neocene)  formation  is  traversed  from  the  Sespe  Creek  to  the 
Agua  Blanca  Creek,  the  thickness  might  be  estimated  at  nearly  1  mile, 
but  in  this  case,  also,  the  apparent  thickness  is  exaggerated  by  faulting. 
It  is  probable  that  that  portion  of  the  Neocene  series  which  includes 
the  silicious  shales,  the "  sandstones  immediately  overlying  them,  and 
the  clay-shales,  is  at  least  5000'  in  thickness. 


CHAPTER  3. 
PRODUCTIVE  OIL-WELLS  IN  VENTURA  COUNTY. 

(Record  made  in  June,  1900.) 

5.3.1.  The  productive  oil-fields  on  the  south  side  of  the  valley  of  the 
Santa  Clara  River  in  Ventura  County  are:  The  Tapo  Caiion  field;  the 
field  operated  by  the  South  Pacific  Oil  Company  in  Eureka  Canon;  the 
Torrey  Canon  field;  and  the  Bardsdale  field.  These  oil-fields  are  situated, 
in  the  order  in  which  they  are  named,  on  a  ridge  of  mountains  between 


96  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

the  Santa  Clara  and  Simi  valleys.  The  writer  has  not  made  a  detailed 
examination  of  the  formations  penetrated  by  the  wells  in  these  fields, 
but  the  character  of  the  exposed  rocks  leads  to  the  conclusion  that,  for 
the  most  part,  they  belong  to  the  Neocene  shale  formation  described  in 
this  Bulletin. 

The  productive  oil-fields  on  the  north  side  of  the  Santa  Clara  Valley, 
in  Ventura  County,  are:  That  operated  by  the  South  Pacific  Oil  Com- 
pany on  the  south  slope  of  Mount  Cayetana;  the  Sespe  district;  the 
Hopper  Canon;  that  operated  by  the  Modelo  Oil  Company  in  Modelo 
Canon,  and  a  portion  of  Piru  Canon.  The  wells  in  the  Sespe  district 
receive  their  oil  from  rocks  of  Eocene  age.  All  the  other  remunerative 
wells  on  the  north  side  of  the  valley  of  the  Santa  Clara  River  receive 
their  oil  from  the  lower  portion  of  the  Neocene  series. 

The  productive  oil-fields  of  the  Santa  Paula  district  are:  The  Ex- 
Mission  oil-field,  in  which  are  the  Adams  Canon,  the  Salt  Marsh,  the 
Wheeler,  and  the  Scott  &  Gilmore  wells;  the  Silverthread  field,  in  which 
are  the  wells  of  the  Los  Angeles  Transportation  Company,  the  Bard, 
and  the  Astarte  wells.  This  district  includes  also  the  Mark  Jones  or 
O'Hara  wells  on  the  east  side  of  Santa  Paula  Creek.  As  stated  in 
Bulletin  No.  11,  there  is  some  doubt  as  to  the  age  of  the  oil-yielding 
formations  in  the  Santa  Paula  district.  The  character  of^  the  exposed 
rocks,  however,  warrants  the  assumption  that  most  of  the  wells  in  the 
Santa  Paula  district  receive  their  oil  from  the  rocks  belonging  to  the 
lower  portion  of  the  Neocene  series. 

PRODUCTIVE  OIL-WELLS  ON   THE  SOUTH  SIDE  OF  SANTA  CLARA  RIVER. 

5.3.2.  Tapo  Canon  Oil- Wells  (Union  Oil  Company  of  Santa  Paula, 
Ventura  County,  owners)  are  situated  on  the  San  Francisco  ranch.  This 
caiion  is  tributary  to  the  Santa  Clara  Valley,  and  the  wells  are  situated 
about  2  miles  southeast  of  Camulos.  The  territory  here  named  was 
developed  during  1897-98-99,  but  produced  no  oil  until  1900.  In  April, 
1900,  there  were  twelve  wells  in  Tapo  Canon,  varying  from  300'  to 
600'  in  depth;  yield  about  300  bbls.  a  month;  gravity  of  oil,  14.5"  B; 
character  of  formations,  sandstone  and  shale.  It  is  said  that  less 
than  half  of  these  wells  are  productive.  In  Tapo  Caiion  there  is  one 
well  750'  deep,  situated  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  south  of  the 
twelve  wells  previously  mentioned.  In  April,  1900,  this  well  was  unfin- 
ished, but  some  oil  had  been  struck.  There  is  a  1200'  tunnel  in  Tapo 
Caiion,  but  it  was  abandoned,  because,  as  the  writer  was  informed,  there 
was  too  much  gas  to  allow  of  its  completion. 

5.3.3.  The  South  Pacific  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles).  The  wells 
of  this  company  (formerly  belonging  to  the  Eureka  Company)  are  about 
2  miles  south  of  Piru  in  Lime  Kiln  Canon,  which  is  a  tributary  of  the 
Santa  Clara  Valley.     Here  are  fifteen  producing  wells,  from  240'  to  850' 


t 


PRODUCTIVE    OIL-WELLS    IN    VENTURA    COUNTY.  97 

deep.  In  these  wells  oil  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  from  85'  to  850',  and 
the  yield  of  the  wells  varies  from  5  to  60  bbls.  of  oil  a  day,  the  total 
amount  being  about  1600  bbls.  a  month.  Some  idea  as  to  the  life  of 
these  wells  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  a  few  of  the  best  wells 
started  off  at  a  yield  of  60  bbls.  a  day,  but  after  two  years  dropped  to  20 
bbls.  a  day.  Seven  men  are  employed  at  these  wells.  The  gravity  of 
the  oil  varies  from  20°  to  30°  B. 

5.3.4.  The  Torrey  Canon  Wells.  Torrey  Canon  is  a  tributary  of  the 
Santa  Ana  Valley,  and  the  wells  here  referred  to  are  situated  about  3 
miles  south  of  Piru.  In  May,  1900,  four  crewS'  were  drilling  in  this 
canon,  where  there  are  now  thirty-two  producing  wells,  six  having  been 
abandoned.  These  wells  vary  from  500'  to  2000'  in  depth  ;  yield  about 
1500  bbls.  a  month,  not  counting  the  oil  consumed  at  the  wells  for 
steam  purposes.     The  gravity  of  the  oil  is  about  28°  B. 

5.3.5.  The  Bardsdale  Wells  (Union  Oil  Company  of  Santa  Paula, 
owners)  are  about  3  miles  southwest  of  Fillmore,  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Santa  Clara  Valley.  They  are  twenty-four  in  number,  from  500' 
to  1600'  in  depth,  and  are  said  to  yield  about  6000  bbls.  a  month. 
Gravity  of  oil,  about  28°  B. 

PRODUCTIVE  OIL-WELLS   ON   THE  NORTH  SIDE  OF  THE  VALLEY  OF  THE 

SANTA  CLARA  RIVER. 

5.3.6.  The  South  Pacific  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles).  The  wells 
of  this  company  (formerly  Loma  oil-wells)  are  situated  on  the  south 
slope  of  Mount  Cayetana,  about  4  miles  east  of  Santa  Paula.  Here 
there  are  four  producing  wells  from  600'  to  1200'  deep;  yield  said  to  be 
1800  bbls.  a  month;  gravity  of  the  oil,  33°  B. 

5.3.7.  The  Sespe  District  is  in  the  mountains  on  the  north  side  of  the 
valley  of  the  Santa  Clara  River.  The  wells  in  this  district,  owned  or 
controlled  by  the  Union  Oil  Company,  include  the  Kentuck,  the  Little 
Sespe,  Four  Forks,  and  the  Tar  Creek  oil-wells.  Here  there  are  fifty- 
three  wells,  about  twenty- two  of  which  are  productive.  They  yield  about 
6000  bbls.  of  oil  a  month;  gravity  of  the  oil  varies  from  27°  to  35"^  B. 

5.3.8.  Big  Sespe  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles,  formerly  the  Cali- 
fornia Oil  Company).  The  wells  of  this  company  are  in  the  Sespe 
district.  There  are  four  wells  from  600'  to  1000'  deep,  and  they  yield 
1000  bbls.  of  oil  a  month. 

5.3.9.  Fortuna  Wells  (Buckhorn  Transportation  Company,  owners; 
A.  Smith,  of  Los  Angeles,  president)  are  in  Hopper  Canon  about  2  miles 
north  of  Buckhorn  Station.  In  April,  1900,  this  company  had  eleven 
producing  wells,  varying  from  90'  to  600'  in  depth;  monthly  yield,  about 
800  bbls.;  gravity  of  oil,  about  13.5°  B. 

5.3.10.  Sunset  Oil  Company^s  Wells  (Clark,  Sherman  &  Co.  of  Los 
Angeles,  owners)  are  in  Hopper  Canon  about  3  miles  north  of  Buck- 

7— Bl9 

I 


98  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

horn  Station.     In  April,  1900,  this  company  had  five  wells,  varying  from 
300'  to  600'  deep;  monthly  yield,  about  500  bbls. 

5.3.11.  Piru  Oil  Company  (of  Piru,  Ventura  County)  has  three  wells 
on  the  Temescal  ranch  near  the  mouth  of  Piru  Canon.  These  wells  are 
from  400'  to  900'  deep.  The  formation  is  shale  and  sand.  Total  yield, 
6  bbls.  a  day;  gravity  of  oil,  20°  B.  Thirty  men  are  employed  at  the 
Torrey  Caiion  wells.  These  wells  yield  enough  gas  for  pumping,  but 
not  for  drilling. 

PRODUCTIVE  OIL-WELLS  IN  THE  SANTA  PAULA  DISTRICT. 

5.3.12.  The  Ex-Mission  group  of  wells  is  situated  on  the  south  slope 
of  the  Sulphur  Mountains.  As  previously  mentioned,  this  group 
includes  the  Adams  Canon,  the  Salt  Marsh,  the  Wheeler,  and  the  Scott 
&  Gilmore  wells.  These  wells  are  all  either  owned  or  controlled  by  the 
Union  Oil  Company,  there  being  in  all  fifty-five  wells,  of  which  about 
thirty-seven  are  producing,  and  are  said  to  yield  about  2250  bbls.  a 
month;  gravity  of  oil,  25°  to  30°  B. 

5.3.13.  Adams  Canon  Oil  Wells  (Union  Oil  Company  of  Santa  Paula, 
owners)  are  about  6  miles  northwest  of  Santa  Paula  and  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Sulphur  Mountains.  There  are  in  the  Adams  Canon  thirty-five 
wells,  varying  from  130'  to  360'  in  depth.  The  deepest  well  was  drilled 
in  1900.  Below  the  depth  of  500'  the  temperature  in  this  well  increased, 
and  during  the  latter  portion  of  the  work  the  tools  became  too  hot  to  be 
handled  with  the  bare  hands.  The  gravity  of  the  oil  in  Adams  Caiion 
is  26°  B. 

5.3.14.  The  Salt  Marsh  Wells  are  1  mile  west  of  Adams  Canon.  Here 
are  twelve  wells,  varying  from  200'  to  2100'  in  depth;  gravity  of  oil, 
about  26°  B.     The  oil  was  struck  in  a  muddy,  whitish  sand. 

5.3.15.  The  Wheeler  Canon  Wells.     No  product. 

5.3.16.  Scott  &  Gilmore  Wells  are  eighteen  in  number,  and  are  from 
200'  to  1000'  in  depth;  gravity  of  oil,  about  23°  B.  There  are  thirteen 
men  employed  on  the  Ex-Mission  leases.  It  is  said  that  there  are  on 
the  Ex-Mission  grant  fifty-four  tunnels,  which  yield,  all  told,  about  250 
bbls.  a  month. 

5.3.17.  The  wells  of  the  Silverthread  district  are  situated  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Sisar  Valley.  They  include  the  wells  of  the  Capitol 
Crude  Oil  Company,  the  Sisar  Oil  and  Asphalt  Company,  and  the 
Astarte  wells. 

5.3.18.  The  Capitol  Crude  Oil  Company^s  Wells  (Los  Angeles  Trans- 
portation Company,  Los  Angeles,  owners)  are  situated  on  the  north 
side  of  the  Simi  Valley.  Here  there  are  fifteen  wells,  eleven  of  which  are 
productive,  yielding  about  1200  bbls.  a  month. 

5.3.19.  The  Bard  Wells  adjoin  the  Capitol  Crude  Oil  Company's  wells 
on  the  west.  Here  there  are  twelve  producing  wells,  which  yield  about 
1200  bbls.  a  month. 


PROSPECT    WELLS   AND    PROSPECTING    IN    VENTURA    COUNTY.  99 

5.3.20.  The  Astarte  Wells  (Union  Oil  Company  of  Santa  Paula, 
owners ) .  Five  of  these  wells  are  productive,  yield  ing  1000  bbls.  a  month ; 
gravity  of  oil,  about  21°  B.     Two  men  are  employed. 

5.3.21.  Mark  Jones  Oil  Company  (O'Hara)  wells  are  on  the  south- 
west slope  of  Mount  Cayetana.  Here  there  are  five  wells,  said  to  pro- 
duce about  400  bbls.  of  oil  a  month. 

THE  NORDHOFF  DISTRICT. 

5.3.22.  The  Peri  Oil- Wells  (Union  Oil  Company  of  Santa  Paula, 
owners  J  are  situated  1  mile  west  of  Nordhoff.  Here  there  are  five  wells, 
but  it  is  said  that  only  one  of  them  is  productive,  yielding  2  bbls.  a  day. 
The  formation  is  sandstone. 


CHAPTER    4. 

PROSPECT  WELLS  AND  PROSPECTING  IN  VENTURA 

COUNTY. 

(Many  other  prospect  wells  have  been  commenced  in  Ventura  County 
since  the  writer  visited  that  county  in  May,  1900.) 

5.4.1.  Berkeley  Oil  Company  (E.  North,  superintendent).  In  June, 
1900,  this  company  commenced  operations  in  Lecklar  Canon. 

5.4.2.  Bradley  &  Hution  (of  Los  Angeles)  have  one  well  in  Hopper 
Canon,  about  1^  miles  north  of  Buckhorn  railroad  station.  In  May, 
1900,  this  well  was  1000'  deep.     Formation,  silicious  shale. 

5.4.3.  Calleguas  Wells  (Union  Oil  Company  of  Santa  Paula,  Ventura 
County,  owners).  In  1898  and  1899,  thirty- two  wells  were  drilled  on 
the  Calleguas  ranch,  about  12  miles  south  of  Santa  Paula,  at  the  west 
end  of  the  Simi  Valley.  The  formation  is  said  to  be  volcanic  tuff.  Oil 
was  struck  at  a  depth  of  from  150'  to  200',  and  the  wells  appeared  to 
promise  a  large  production.  Below  the  oil-yielding  strata,  water  was 
struck,  which  displaced  the  oil,  forcing  it  through  some  formation  which 
has  not  yet  been  traced.  This  oil  was  orange  color ;  so,  also,  was  the 
residuum  resulting  from  distillation,  but  when  exposed  to  the  air,  the 
residuum  blackened  in  a  few  days.     The  gravity  of  the  oil  is  14°  B. 

5.4.4.  Crude  Oil  Company  has  a  well  situated  on  the  ranch  of  M. 
Fine,  about  H  miles  northwest  of  Fillmore.  This  well  is  580'  deep,  and 
is  situated  in  Sec.  24,  T.  4  N.,  R.  20  W.,  S.  B.  M. 

5.4.5.  East  Piru  Oil  Company.  In  June,  1900,  this  company  com- 
menced operations  in  Lecklar  Cailon. 

5.4.6.  Henley,  Crawford  &  Co.  (of  Sespe,  Ventura  County)  have  two 


100  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

wells  in  Sespe  district  a  short  distance  north  of  the  Devil's  Gate.  Well 
No.  1  is  on  the  east  side  of  Sespe  Creek.  Shale  and  sandstone  of  the 
Eocene  age  were  penetrated  to  a  depth  of  562'.  It  is  said  that  this  well 
would  yield  4  bbls.  of  heavy  oil,  but  it  is  not  pumped.  Well  No.  2  is  on 
the  west  side  of  Sespe  Creek.  In  this  well  the  formation  is  similar  to 
that  penetrated  by  well  No.  1,  with  traces  of  oil.  In  May,  1900,  well 
No.  2  was  300'  deep. 

5.4.7.  Kellerman  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles)  has  two  wells  in 
Nigger  Canon,  about  1  mile  north  of  Piru.  The  first  well  is  said  to  be 
about  900'  deep,  and  to  be  capable  of  yielding  a  few  barrels  of  oil  a  day. 
This  well  is  drilled  on  the  axis  of  fold  marked  BB  in  Fig.  A.  The 
second  well  is  drilled  about  300'  north  of  the  old  well.  It  was  not  com- 
pleted in  June,  1900. 

5.4.8.  Mclntyre  &  Co.  (of  Fillmore,  Ventura  County)  have  a  well  on 
the  west  bank  of  Sespe  Creek,  in  the  S.E.  i  of  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  12, 
T.  4  N.,  R.  20  W.,  S.  B.  M. 

5.4.9.  Nuevo  Camulos  Oil  Company  has  a  well  950'  deep  in  Holser 
Caiion,  about  3  miles  northeast  of  Piru.  Formation,  shale  and  sand- 
stone, with  traces  of  oil.     This  well  was  not  completed  in  June,  1900. 

5.4.10.  Piru  Oil  Company  (of  Piru,  Ventura  County)  has  a  well  on 
Fig  Hill,  Temescal  ranch,  and  one  at  the  Temescal  ranch  house.  For- 
mation of  Fig  Hill  well:  Adobe  and  shale  to  20';  gravel  to  35';  tough 
clay  to  55';  hard  shale  to  90';  hard  rock  to  100';  sharp  sand  to  130';  soft 
sand  to  170';  soft,  fine  sand  to  355';  water;  adobe  and  sand  to  417';  shale 
to  432';  oil-sand  to  452';  not  specified  to  597';  sand  and  shale  to  620'; 
shells  and  sand  to  665';  caving  sand  to  695';  soft  sand  to  715';  adobe 
to  740';  sand  to  760';  adobe  to  795';  hard  sand  to  800';  caving  sand  to 
810';  hard  sand  to  821';  shale  to  827';  running  sand  to  840';  oil-sand 
to  1030';  brown  shale  to  1035';  oil-sand  to  1195'.  This  well  yielded  a 
small  quantity  of  heavy  oil,  probably  about  2  bbls.  a  day. 

Formation  of  well  at  Temescal  ranch  house:  Shell  and  shales,  and 
broken  oil-sand  to  550';  black  shale  to  610';  hard  oil-sand  to  615';  black 
shale  and  oil-sand  to  650';  black  shale  and  shells  to  675';  oil-sand  and 
shale  to  725';  hard  shale  to  730';  fine  oil-sand  to  788';  flinty  shell  to 
790';  shale  to  795';  oil-sand  to  825';  oil-sand  and  shells  to  840';  hard 
shells  and  sand  to  868';  coarse  sand  to  900';  sand,  shale,  and  con- 
glomerate to  1200'.  A  small  quantity  of  heavy  oil  was  found  in  this 
well. 

5.4.11.  Ramona  Oil  Company.  In  June,  1900,  this  company  was 
drilling  at  a  point  4  miles  northeast  of  Piru. 

5.4.12.  Santa  Ana  Oil  Company.  In  June,  1900,  this  company  was 
drilling  at  a  point  about  1  mile  north  of  Piru. 

5.4.13.  Western  Oil  Company  (of  Pasadena;  G.  H.  Coffin,  secretary) 
has  a  well  on  the  Ayers  ranch,  9  miles  northwest  of  Ventura.     In  June, 


PROSPECT    WELLS    AND    PROSPECTING    IN    VENTURA   COUNTY.  101 

1900,  this  well  was  said  to  be  500'  deep,  and  to  have  struck  a  small 
quantity  of  oil.     At  that  date  it  was  not  completed. 

5.4.14.  Ranch  No.  1  (Cora  C.  Howe,  owner),  located  9  miles  north 
of  Ventura.  In  June,  1900,  a  well  was  being  drilled  at  the  western  end 
of  Sulphur  Mountain  on  this  ranch. 

5.4.15.  Santa  Ana  Ranch.  In  June,  1900,  a  well  was  being  drilled 
on  this  ranch  by  Messrs.  Clark,  Markham  &  Sherman,  and  others.  It 
is  situated  on  the  south  side  of  San  Antone  Creek,  about  8  miles 
northeast  of  Ventura. 

5.4.16.  During  the  current  year  (1900)  there  has  been  much  explo- 
ration of  the  more  inaccessible  portions  of  Ventura  County  in  search 
of  oil-lands,  and  trails  have  been  cut  over  brush-covered  mountains 
which  heretofore  have  been  almost  inaccessible  even  to  travelers  on 
foot.  One  of  the  most  interesting  territories  that  has  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  oil-prospector  in  Ventura  County  is  Anacapa  Island. 

5.4.17.  Anacapa  Island.  This  island,  which  is  about  25  miles  north 
of  Ventura,  comprises  an  area  of  about  1140  acres.  It  has  been  located 
as  oil-land  by  E.  L.  Barnard  of  Ventura,  and  others.  It  is  said  that 
there  are  numerous  springs  of  bitumen  and  heavy  oil  on  this  island, 
and  that  oil  rises  from  the  ocean  at  several  points  adjacent  to  its  shores. 
The  formation  is  said  to  be  sedimentary  and  eruptive  rock. 


102  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


PA^RT   6. 


SANTA  BARBARA  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER    1. 

THE  SUMMERLAND   OIL-FIELD,  AND  PRODUCTIVE  WELLS 
IN  SANTA  BARBARA  COUNTY. 

6.1.1.  In  this  county,  the  Summer  land  oil-field  and  the  property  of 
the  Occidental  Oil  Company  is  the  only  oil-bearing  territory  yet  devel- 
oped, but  prospect  wells  drilled  in  various  portions  of  the  county 
encourage  the  hope  that  the  oil-fields  of  Santa  Barbara  County  will 
eventually  be  found  to  be  quite  extensive. 

6.1.2.  There  has  been  great  development  in  the  Summerland  oil- 
field since  it  was  reported  on  by  the  writer  in  1896.  In  1895  there 
were  only  28  producing  wells,  with  a  production  for  that  year  of  rather 
less  than  1700  bbls.  In  June,  1900,  there  were  more  than  300  producing 
wells,  and  the  annual  production  for  1899  was  about  208,000  bbls. 

The  development  of  the  Summerland  oil-field  has  corroborated  the 
opinions  concerning  it  expressed  by  the  writer  in  Bulletin  No.  11,  pub- 
lished by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  in  1896;  and  the  field  has  been 
extended  in  the  directions  suggested  by  the  geological  examinations 
recorded  in  the  bulletin  referred  to.  It  is,  however,  somewhat  remark- 
able that  the  oil-field  has  not  been  extended  farther  along  the  strike 
of  the  formation.  The  greatest  development  has  been  made  in  the 
direction  of  the  dip,  which  necessitated  the  building  of  wharves  into 
the  ocean,  from  which  numerous  wells  have  been  drilled.  (See  Photo 
No.  26.)  This  corroborates  the  statement  made  by  the  writer  in  Bulletin 
No.  11,  p.  54,  that  the  oil-yielding  formations  at  Summerland  extend 
south  into  the  ocean.     (See  Fig.  I.) 

6.1.3.  In  drilling  beneath  the  water,  a  casing  larger  than  that  needed 
for  the  drill-hole  is  put  down  to  the  floor  of  the  ocean  and  forced  into 
the  bedrock  until  the  ocean  water  is  securely  shut  out  of  the  drill-hole. 
This  is  called  a  conductor,  and  the  casing  of  the  well  is  put  down  inside 
of  the  conductor. 

6.1.4.  In  wells  sunk  on  the  shore-line,  the  formation  is  yellow  clay 
to  100';  sand  with  water  to  120';  blue  clay  to  150';  sand  with  water  to 
180';  blue  clay  to  230';  oil-sand  to  280'  (the  oil  from  this  strata  shows 
a  gravity  of  12°  to  14°  B.);  blue  shale  to  300',  and  oil-sand  to  400'. 


PRODUCTIVE    WELLS    IN    SANTA    BARBARA    COUNTY. 


103 


The  wells  drilled  beneath  the  ocean  commence  in  blue  clay.  Along 
the  shore-line  the  dip  of  the  oil-sand  varies  from  a  few  degrees  east  of 
south  to  a  few  degrees  west  of  south,  and  the  angle  of  the  inclination  is 
about  40°.  At  a  distance  of  800'  from  high-water  mark,  the  oil-sand 
was  found  to  be  lying  nearly  flat  and  to  inclose  pockets  of  clay.  At  a 
distance  of  about  600'  from  the  shore-line,  a  third  bed  of  oil-sand  was 
found  overlying  the  uppermost  stratum  of  oil-sand  which  had  been 
penetrated  near  the  shore. 

6.1.5.  The  stratification  of  the  oil-sand  and  the  inclosing  rocks,  as 
shown  by  the  well  records,  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  the  stress  to 
which  these  formations  have  been  subjected  has  produced  great  irregu- 
larity of  structure.  It  is  probable  that  the  oil-yielding  formations  at 
Summerland  belong  to  the  Middle  Neocene  series,  and  that  they  rest 
non-conformably  on  the  silicious  shales  of  the  Lower  Neocene,  which  are 
exposed  in  the  ridge  of  hills  immediately  north  of  Summerland,  and 
near  Carpinteria,  about  6  miles  to  the  east  of  Summerland.  (See  Bulle- 
tin No.  11,  Part  3,  Chapter  1.) 

6.1.6.  The  depth  of  most  of  the  Summerland  wells  ranges  from  150' 
to  300'.  There  are  a  few  which  are  between  400'  and  500'  in  depth,  and 
there  is  one  well  which  is  600'  deep.  The  cost  of  these  wells  is  generally 
about  -11  a  foot,  not  including  the  cost  of  casing. 

6.1.7.  In  June,  1900,  there  were  at  Summerland  305  producing  wells, 
59  abandoned  wells,  and  15  well-sites  at  which  drilling  operations  had 
been  commenced.  These  wells  yield  from  1  to  60  bbls.  of  oil  a  day,  the 
average  yield  being  5  bbls.  a  day.  The  value  of  the  oil  in  1899  was  90 
cents  a  barrel,  f.  o.  b.  at  Summerland.  The  cost  of  production  is  said 
to  range  from  25  to  35  cents  a  barrel.  The  gravity  of  the  oil  varies  from 
10°  to  16°  B.  Nearly  all  the  lighter  oils  come  from  the  deepest  wells. 
The  oil  from  the  shallower  wells  contains  a  high  percentage  of  water 
and  sand. 

6.1.8.  The  following  is  a  list  of  companies  engaged  in  oil-mining  at 
Summerland  in  March,  1900,  together  with  a  statement  of  the  number 
of  productive  wells: 

OIL-PRODUCERS— SUMMERLAND  OIL-FIELD. 


Names.  ^^1^^ 

Alameda  0.  &  D.  Co 6 

Baker,  Geo 2 

Churchill  Bros 11 

Duncan,  J.  T... 12 

Duquesne  Oil  Co 21 

Hancock  &  Parsons . 3 

Lillis,  J.  C _.. 19 

Loomis,  W - 5 

Miller,  H.E 6 

Miller,  T.  F 5 

Moore,  W.  M.  S 19 


Names.  Na^o^ 

Oxnard  Oil  Co.. 11 

Robinson--.   34 

Santa  Barbara  Oil  Mining  Co. 21 

Seacliff  Oil  Co 18 

Seaside  Oil  Co 34 

S.  P.  Oil  Co 12 

Steel,  A.  M 2 

Sunset  Oil  Co 22 

Treadwell,  J.  B 19 

Wilson,  J.  C.  34 

Williams  Estate 9 


104 


CALIFOENIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


6.1.9.  As  previously  mentioned,  many  of  the  wells  at  Summerland 
are  drilled  beneath  the  ocean.  They  are  connected  with  the  mainland 
by  wharves.  (See  Photo  No.  26.)  The  length  of  these  wharves  is  given 
in  the  following  table: 

NAMES  OF  OWNERS  OF  WHARVES  IN  SUMMERLAND. 
(Record  made  in  March,  1900.) 


Duncan,  J.  T 230' 

Duquesne  Oil  Co.  No.  1 628' 

Duquesne  Oil  Co.  No.  1 305' 

Lillis,  J.  C - - - 560' 

Lillis,  J.  C - 340' 

Oxnard  Oil  Co 734' 


Oxnard  Oil  Co.  (branch) 340' 

S.  P.  Oil  Co.  No.  1 520' 

S.  P.  Oil  Co.  No.  2 520' 

Sunset  Oil  Co 405' 

Treadwell,  J.  B 1230' 

Weber,  Churchill  336' 


6.1.10.  The  Occidental  Oil  Company  (of  Santa  Barbara)  has  six  wells 
and  one  oil-tunnel  in  the  Santa  Ynez  Mountains  about  5  miles  north- 
east of  Summerland.  It  is  said  that  only  one  of  these  wells  is  pumped, 
and  that  this  well,  together  with  the  oil-tunnel,  yields  about  50  bbls.  a 
month. 


CHAPTER  2. 


PROSPECT  WELLS  IN  SANTA  BARBARA  COUNTY. 

Only  such  wells  are  mentioned  as  had  been  drilled,  or  were  being 
drilled,  in  June,  1900. 

6.2.1.  Arctic  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco).  Well  No.  1,  7  miles 
south  of  Rincon  Creek,  1825'  deep;  formation,  red  sandstone;  no  oil. 
Well  No.  2, 50' distant  from  well  No.  1,  2100' deep;  formation,  red  sand- 
stone; no  oil.  Well  No.  3,  on  the  S.  P.  R.  R.,  1:1  miles  east  of  Carpin- 
teria;  conglomerate  and  sandy  shale  to  700';  shale  and  sandstone  to 
1200';  liquid  asphaltum;  well  abandoned. 

6.2.2.  Buel  Ranch  Well,  5  miles  west  of  Santa  Ynez;  900'  deep; 
much  gas.  Formation:  soft  white  rock  to  35';  asphaltum  to  235';  shale 
and  a  little  water  to  470';  black  sand  to  480';  sand  and  water  to  505'; 
shale  and  water  to  510',  and  quicksand  and  water.  Water  rose  to 
within  40'  of  the  surface.  Well  abandoned.  In  June,  1900,  a  second 
well  had  been  commenced. 

6.2.3.  Careaga  Well,  on  Los  Alamos  ranch,  about  6  miles  west  of  Los 
Alamos.  In  September,  1 900,  the  writer  was  informed  that  oil  had  been 
struck  at  a  depth  of  1140'. 

6.2.4.  Casmalia  Well  (M.  Calligan,  superintendent)  is  situated  in 


PHOTO  25.    MoDELO  Oil-Wells,  Ventura  County.    (Photo  taken  in  1898.) 


PHOTO  26.    View  on  Shoee-mne,  Summep.land  Oil-Field,  Santa  Barbara  County. 


PROSPECT    WELLS    IN   SANTA    BARBARA    COUNTY.  105 

Schuman  Canon,  about  3  miles  northeast  of  Casmalia  station,  on  the 
S.  P.  R.  R.  In  July,  1900,  this  well  was  200'  deep.  The  formation  is 
said  to  be  a  chalky-looking  rock  and  shale.     Drilling. 

6.2.5.  Den  Ranch  Wells,  3  miles  west  of  Goleta.  It  is  said  that  three 
wells  have  been  drilled  to  a  depth  of  between  200'  and  500'.  Said  to  be 
abandoned. 

6.2.6.  /.  Heath  (of  Carpinteria,  Ventura  County)  has  a  well  on  the 
Hill  ranch,  on  seashore  near  the  mouth  of  Rincon  Creek.  Formation, 
shale  to  a  depth  of  400'.  It  is  said  that  oil  was  struck  at  a  depth  of 
150',  more  oil  showing  as  the  well  was  deepened. 

6.2.7.  Illinois  Oil  and  Asphalt  Company  (of  Santa  Barbara;  A.  L. 
Nelson,  manager)  has  a  well  on  seashore  at  Montecito.  Formation: 
Yellow  clay  and  sand  to  200';  gas,  blue  clay,  and  quicksand  to  260'; 
blue  shale  to  280.'     In  June,  1900,  this  well  was  unfinished. 

6.2.8.  Robinson  Well,  on  Joe  Martin's  ranch  on  seashore  near  Serena. 
Abandoned. 

6.2.9.  Santa  Barbara  and  Naples  Oil  and  Land  Company  (of  Santa 
Barbara;  E.  W.  Hayward,  president).  The  territory  operated  by  this 
company  is  about  15  miles  west  of  Santa  Barbara,  near  the  seashore. 
In  June,  1900,  this  company  was  drilling  a  well,  the  formation  pene- 
trated being  principally  shale  to  a  depth  of  450',  with  some  showing  of 
gas  and  oil. 

6.2.10.  Stevens,  Clark  &  Duncan  Well,  at  Loon  Point,  about  1  mile 
east  of  Summerland;  500'  deep.     Water  and  traces  of  oil.     Abandoned. 

6.2.11.  Treadwell  Well,  on  seashore  between  Loon  Point  and  Serena. 
Said  to  be  500'  deep.     Traces  of  oil.     Abandoned. 


106  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 


I^^RT    7. 


THE  SAN  JOAQUIN  VALLEY 


T 


CHAPTER  1. 

GEOLOGICAL  SKETCH. 

7.1.1.  As  is  well  known,  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  constitutes  the 
southern  portion  of  the  Central  Valley  of  California.  It  is  bounded  on 
the  east  by  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  and  on  the  west  by  the  Coast 
Ranges.  The  productive  oil-fields  that  have  been  developed  in  this 
region  are  in  the  foothills  of  the  Coast  Ranges  and  the  lowermost  foot- 
hills of  the  Sierras  at  the  southern  extremity  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 
(See  Fig.  M.) 

7.1.2.  The  formations  to  which  the  oil-yielding  rocks  of  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley  belong  are  the  Eocene  (Cretaceous  B)  and  the  Neocene; 
the  latter  formation  having  been  deposited  during  an  era  which  embraced 
the  Miocene  and  Pliocene  periods.  Of  recent  years,  geologists  have 
decided  that  it  is  best  to  include  the  Miocene  and  Pliocene  formations  of 
California  under  the  head  of  Neocene,  and  to  divide  the  Neocene  forma- 
tions into  the  Upper,  Middle,  and  Lower  Neocene.  The  Eocene  rocks 
are  for  the  most  part  rather  hard  sandstones  and  dark-colored  shales, 
with  some  strata  of  hard  limestone.  The  sandstone  is  characterized  by 
numerous  concretions.  In  this  formation  are  the  most  important  beds 
of  coal  known  in  California.  The  only  place  in  the  Central  Valley 
where  valuable  oil-measures  have  been  developed  in  this  formation  is 
at  Oil  City,  near  Coalinga,  on  the  western  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley 
in  Fresno  County.  At  Oil  City,  an  oil,  remarkable  for  its  low  specific 
gravity,  has  been  obtained  from  formations  underlying  rocks  containing 
fossils  of  Eocene  (Tejon)  age. 

7.1.3.  At  the  time  these  rocks  were  deposited,  the  coast-line  of  Cali- 
fornia was  east  of  the  area  now  occupied  by  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras. 
The  Central  Valley  of  California  was  covered  by  the  ocean,  and  the 
Coast  Ranges  were  only  partly  elevated  above  the  water.  The  early 
Neocene  times  must  have  been  a  period  of  depression,  which  allowed  the 
deposition  of  the  shale  formation  over  a  great  portion  of  this  region  of 
the  State.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  Neocene  epoch  there  was  a 
marked  period  of  elevation. 


GEOLOGICAL    SKETCH   OP   THE   SAN    JOAQUIN    VALLEY.  107 

7.1.4.  The  Lower  Neocene  formations  consist  of  a  series  of  sandstones 
and  shales  containing  Miocene  fossils,  and  a  series  of  shales  which  are 
remarkable  inasmuch  as  they  are  composed  principally  of  silica.  In 
places  they  appear  to  be  made  up  largely  of  diatomaceous  remains. 
The  exposed  rocks  are  usually  bleached,  and  they  are  sometimes  found 
to  be  either  white  or  whitish  for  a  considerable  depth  below  the  surface. 
Professor  Lawson,  who  has  studied  these  shales,  believes  that  they  are 
made  up  largely  of  volcanic  ash  ejected  by  the  volcanic  eruptions  which 
prevailed  in  California  during  the  Neocene  period.  These  shales  are 
interbedded  with  numerous  strata  of  chert  and  cherty  limestone.  They 
also  contain  a  few  strata  of  sandstone  and  diatomaceous  earth.  The 
sandstones  are  usually  more  or  less  impregnated  with  petroleum.  In 
many  places  springs  of  heavy,  tar-like  bitumen  issue  from  these  shales, 
forming  beds  of  impure  asphaltum.  Wells  sunk  in  this  formation  in 
most  instances  yield  a  heavy,  tar -like  oil,  and  some  of  the  wells  drilled 
in  the  shales  near  Oil  City  yield  an  oil  of  medium  gravity.  There  is 
little  doubt  that  the  Lower  Neocene  rocks  rest  non-conformably  on  the 
Eocene  formations,  for  we  find  them  resting  on  different  material  in 
different  portions  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  In  most  cases,  however,  they 
rest  on  the  Eocene  rocks,  and  very  frequently  it  is  difficult  to  detect 
any  absolute  non-conformability  between  the  Lower  Neocene  and  the 
Eocene  rocks  at  their  points  of  contact.  In  some  places,  as  at  the 
Sunset  oil-wells  in  Kern  County,  the  whitish  shales  show  a  thickness  of 
several  thousand  feet.  In  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  these  shales  form  a 
conspicuous  feature  in  the  scenery  throughout  a  large  portion  of  the 
foothills  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  The  only  fossils  found  in  the  shale  by  the 
writer  are  marine  diatoms,  scales  and  bones  of  fish,  and  casts  of  Pecten 
peckhavii,  a  Lower  Neocene  (Miocene)  fossil. 

7.1.5.  Resting  with  apparent  non-conformability  on  the  colored  shales 
are  the  Middle  Neocene  formations,  in  which  are  the  most  important  oil- 
measures  yet  developed  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  These  are  composed 
of  a  series  of  comparatively  soft  sandstones,  bluish  shales,  and  clay 
strata.  The  Middle  Neocene  formations  contain  numerous  fossils,  which, 
in  point  of  age,  range  from  Miocene  to  Recent.  Collections  of  fossils 
were  made  from  these  formations  in  the  foothills  near  Coalinga,  in  the 
Kettleman  Hills,  in  the  lower  foothills  of  the  Coast  Ranges  at  Mud  Creek 
in  the  San  Emidio  ranch,  and  at  other  places  on  the  western  side  of  the 
valley ;  specimens  were  also  found  in  the  lower  foothills  of  the  Sierras 
in  the  Kern  River  district.  (See  Bulletin  No.  3.)  A  study  of  the  Middle 
Neocene  rocks  in  the  direction  of  their  vertical  range  shows  a  preponder- 
ance of  Miocene  fossils  in  the  lower  portion  of  the  formation,  and  of 
Pliocene  in  the  upper  portion. 

On  the  eastern  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  the  Neocene  rocks 
differ  somewhat  in  character  from  those  forming  the  foothills  of  the  Coast 


108  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

Ranges.  The  sandstones  are  interbedded  with  clay,  and  are  made  up 
largely  of  granitic  material;  volcanic  ejectamenta  appear  also  to  have 
contributed  to  their  composition. 

The  evidence  of  non-conformability  between  the  Lower  and  Middle 
Neocene  formations  noted  by  the  writer  in  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  is  as 
follows:  At  Oil  City  near  Coalinga,  the  whitish  shale  is  very  much  dis- 
turbed; it  stands  at  an  angle  of  from  40°  to  nearly  vertical,  while  the 
overlying  formations  are  for  the  most  part  very  little  disturbed,  and 
stand  at  an  angle  of  less  than  20°.  East  of  the  coal  mines  at  Coalinga, 
sandstones  containing  fossils  of  Middle  Neocene  age  rest  on  rocks  which 
evidently  belong  to  the  Eocene  series,  although  no  fossils  were  found 
therein,  and  there  is  no  intervening  formation  of  white  shale.  On  the 
east  side  of  the  valley,  rocks  containing  fossils  referable  to  the  Middle 
Neocene  age  rest  on  granitic  rocks.  Moreover,  in  one  place,  at  least,  on 
the  western  side  of  the  valley,  the  Middle  Neocene  rocks  were  found  to 
contain  fragments  of  bleached  silicious  shale.  Throughout  the  greater 
portion  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  the  Neocene  formations  are  covered 
with  alluvium.  These  formations  are  evidently  many  thousands  of  feet 
thick,  but  the  rocks  are  so  covered  with  alluvium  that  it  is  difficult  to 
determine  the  extent  to  which  faults  may  have  increased  the  apparent 
thickness. 

7.1.6.  The  relation  of  the  Neocene  formations  to  the  Eocene  rocks  is 
illustrated  by  Figs.  K,  L,  12,  and  14.  As  recorded  elsewhere  in  this  Bulle- 
tin, a  non-conformability  between  the  Neocene  and  Eocene  formations  is 
observed  in  Los  Angeles,  Orange,  and  Ventura  counties.  The  question  of 
conformability  and  non-conformability  between  the  Eocene  and  Neocene 
formations  is  very  important.  If  the  Neocene  formations  rested  con- 
formably on  the  Eocene,  the  oil-prospector  would  know  that  there  might 
be  a  good  chance  of  finding  oil  in  the  formations  immediately  underly- 
ing the  Lower  Neocene  rocks,  even  though  the  Eocene  rocks  did  not  crop 
out  at  the  surface. 

7.1.7.  The  Neocene  formations  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley  are 
much  less  disturbed  than  those  on  the  western  side.  On  the  eastern 
side  they  are  usually  inclined  at  a  very  slight  angle,  generally  less  than 
15°,  while  on  the  western  side  the  inclination  is  seldom  less  than  20°, 
and  sometimes  as  high  as  70°.  The  reason  of  this  is  that  the  earth- 
movement  which  so  greatly  disturbed  the  rocks  of  the  Coast  Ranges  at 
the  close  of  the  Neocene  period, affected  but  slightly  the  Neocene  forma- 
tions in  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras.  The  development  of  the  remuner- 
ative oil-field  at  Kern  River,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley,  where  the  formations  are  so  slightly  disturbed,  warrants  the 
assumption  that  other  localities  may  be  found  where  oil-yielding  rocks 
which  have  been  subjected  to  but  very  little  disturbance  form  a  wide 
and  extensive  oil-line.     The  place  to  look  for  such  conditions  is  on  the 


I 


I 


PETROLEUM    IN    KERN   COUNTY.  109 

east  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  As  previously  stated,  a  great 
drawback  to  prospecting  in  the  lowermost  foothills  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley  is  alluvium,  which  to  a  great  extent  covers  the  Neocene  forma- 
tions. It  is  also  possible  that  comparatively  undisturbed  Neocene 
formations  may  be  found  in  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras  to  the  south  of 
Tehachapai  Pass. 


CHAPTER  2. 

PETROLEUM  IN  KERN  COUNTY. 

7.2.1.  During  the  past  two  years  there  has  been  great  development 
in  the  oil-yielding  formations  of  Kern  County,  on  both  the  eastern  and 
western  sides  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  (See  Fig.  J.)  On  the  western 
side  numerous  productive  wells  have  been  drilled  in  the  Sunset  oil- 
district  and  the  McKittrick  district.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley 
an  extensive  and  promising  oil-field  has  been  developed  in  the  Kern 
River  district. 

The  geological  formations  in  these  localities  were  described  by  the 
writer  in  Bulletin  No.  3,  published  by  the  California  State  Mining 
Bureau  in  1894.  Since  there  are  still  numerous  demands  for  this 
bulletin,  which  is  out  of  print,  the  writer  feels  that  it  is  in  order  for 
him  to  quote  liberally  from  what  he  then  wrote. 

7.2.2.  "  Petroleum  and  gas-bearing  formations  are  found  on  both  sides 
of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley  in  Kern  County.  In  the  Sunset  oil-district 
and  at  Asphalto,  on  the  western  side  of  the  valley,  the  petroleum  and 
gas-yielding  rocks  are  extensively  exposed,  and  oil  and  asphaltum 
industries  are  carried  on.  In  the  Sunset  oil-district  there  are  also 
deposits  of  sulphur  and  gypsum.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley 
oil,  bituminous  matter,  and  gas  are  found,  notably  in  T.  29  S.,  R.  28  E., 
M.  D.  M.  Inflammable  gas  is  found  at  the  Barker  ranch  in  Sec.  5, 
T.  29  S.,  R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  valley  the 
showing  of  hydrocarbons  (as  indicated  by  the  outcropping  rocks)  is 
insignificant  when  compared  with  that  of  the  western  side.  This  may 
be  accounted  for  in  part  by  the  fact  that,  as  previously  mentioned,  the 
geological  disturbance  of  the  Tertiary  rocks  of  the  western  side  is  very 
great,  while  on  the  eastern  side  it  is  very  slight.  On  the  eastern  side  of 
the  valley  the  Tertiary  formation  is  well  represented,  as  shown  by  the 
fossils  collected  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Rio  Bravo  ranch.  The  writer 
obtained  a  small  collection  of  fossils  at  the  San  Emidio  ranch  from 
strata  overlying  the  formations  which  yield  oil  in  the  Sunset  district, 
and  a  few  from  the  oil-yielding  rocks  themselves." 

"  The  numerous  Pliocene  fossils  collected  near  the  Rio  Bravo  ranch 
led  to  the  conclusion  that  the  formation  exposed  in  that  vicinity  is  more 


110  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

recent  than  at  San  Emidio,  although  it  would  not  be  safe  to  assert  such 
a  generalization  without  obtaining  a  greater  number  of  specimens  from 
both  localities.  It  is  probable  that  Tertiary  strata  underlie  the  more 
recent  formations  in  the  valley  lands  of  Kern  County,  unless  there  has 
been  a  much  greater  erosion  of  the  Tertiary  rocks  than  there  is  any 
reason  to  suspect."  According  to  recent  nomenclature,  the  fossiliferous 
rocks  at  Mud  Creek,  in  the  foothills  of  the  Coast  Ranges,  and  at  Kern 
River,  in  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras,  maj^  be  referred  to  the  Middle 
Neocene  series. 

"As  may  be  seen  by  examining  the  record  of  the  strata  penetrated  by 
the  wells  which  have  been  sunk  for  water  in  the  valley  lands  of  Kern 
and  Tulare  counties  (see  our  Xlth  Report,  pp.  233,  485),  the  recent 
filling  of  the  valley  appears  to  contain  sufficient  clayey  strata  to  serve 
as  a  cover  under  which  gas  could  be  stored  in  underlying  porous  forma- 
tions. A  review  of  the  situation,  therefore,  warrants  the  opinion  that 
deep  borings  in  the  valley  lands  of  Kern  County  would  be  quite  likely 
to  penetrate  gas-yielding  and  possibly  oil-yielding  strata."  As  shown 
in  the  Bulletin  from  which  the  above  quotations  are  made,  the  geological 
formations  in  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras  at  Kern  River  are  of  similar 
age  to  the  rocks  forming  the  first  bench  of  foothills  of  the  Coast  Ranges 
at  Mud  Creek,  on  the  western  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley. 

7.2.3.  It  is  not  surprising  that  evidences  of  petroleum  should  be 
found  in  the  outcropping  rocks  of  both  localities,  and  that  the  discoveries 
of  petroleum  at  Sunset  and  McKittrick  were  a  prelude  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Kern  River  oil-field. 


CHAPTER  3. 

KERN  RIVER  OIL-DISTRICT. 

7.3.1.  During  the  past  twelve  months  an  extensive  and  promising 
oil-field  has  been  developed  near  the  Kern  River  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
San  Joaquin  Valley  in  Kern  County.  ( See  Fig.  J  and  Photo  No.  28. )  It  is 
interesting  to  note  that  the  initial  developments  in  this  field  were  made 
in  a  township  to  which  attention  had  been  drawn  by  the  California 
State  Mining  Bureau,  on  account  of  the  evidences  of  petroleum  therein 
contained.  Indeed,  the  outcrop  of  bituminous  sand  which  led  to  the 
drilling  of  the  first  well  in  the  Kern  River  oil-field  was  described,  and 
its  position  noted,  in  the  Vllth  Report  of  the  California  State  Mining 
Bureau,  page  63,  and  in  Bulletin  No.  3  on  "The  Oil  and  Gas  Yielding 
Formations  of  the  Central  Valley  of  California." 

The  Kern  River  oil-field,  as  far  as  it  has  been  developed,  comprises 
an  area  of  about  12  square  miles,  and  is  situated  partly  in  T.  28  S., 
R.  27  and  28  E.,  and  partly  in  T.  29  S.,  R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M.     Within 


KERN    RIVER   OIL-DISTRICT. 


Ill 


this  area  in  August,  1900,  about  130  wells  had  been  drilled,  and  many- 
others  had  been  commenced.  These  wells  are  drilled  in  groups,  and 
some  of  the  groups  are  nearly  a  mile  apart.  The  depth  of  these  wells 
varies  from  450'  to  more  than  1000'.  The  formation  penetrated  is: 
First,  alluvium  or  drift,  which  in  few  places  exceeds  50'  in  thickness; 
then  a  stratum  of  blue  clay  from  25'  to  350'  thick;  beneath  the  blue 
clay  is  a  water-sand  from  10'  to  100'  in  thickness;  beneath  the  water- 
sand  the  formation  consists  of  alternate  strata  of  clay  and  sand.  The 
well  records  show  that  most  of  these  sands  contain  oil,  and  that  in  some 
instances  they  aggregate  a  thickness  of  more  than  300'.  The  records 
shown  in  the  accompanying  table  give  an  idea  of  the  formation  pene- 
trated in  the  Kern  River  oil-field. 


TABLE    OF    WELL    RECORDS 
Showing  Formations  Penetrated  in  the  Kern  River  Oil-Field. 


Reed  Crude  Oil  Co. 

Reed  Crude  Oil  Co. 

Petroleum  Center 
Oil  Co. 

Independent  Oil  and 
Development  Co. 

Sec.  34,  T.  28,  R.  28. 

See.  34,  T.  28,  R.  28. 

Sec.    8,  r.  28,  R.  28. 

Sec.  28,  T.  28,  R.  28. 

Drift .30' 

Drift. 25' 

Drift... 50' 

Sand  and  clav  ..  450' 

Blue  clay 384' 

Blue  clay 315' 

Clay  and  sand  .  300' 

Oil-sand 550' 

Water-sand  ....  391' 

Brown  sand  ...  400' 

Oil-sand 450' 

Blue  clay 450' 

Oil-sand 480' 

Dry  oil-sand 475' 

Blue  clay 495' 

Blueclav 500' 

Oil-sand.. 588' 

Drv  oil-sand 580' 

Blue  clay 570' 

Oil-sand 643' 

Blue  clay 658' 

Oil-sand 698' 

Gardner  Oil  Co. 

Comet  Oil  Co. 

Canfield  Oil  Co. 

Sacramento  Oil  Co. 

Sec.  26,  T.  28,  R.  27. 

Sec.  28,  T.  28,  R.  28. 

Sec.  29,  T.  28,  R.  28. 

Sec.  29,  T.  28,  R.  28. 

Sand  and  a  few 

Drift  and    blue 

Drift  and    blue 

Drift    and    blue 

streaks  of  clay, 

clay 240' 

clay 250' 

clay 400' 

water,  and  tra- 

Oil-sand  380' 

Conglomerate  .  300' 

Water-sand 500' 

ces  of  oil 720' 

Cement 480' 

Blue  clay 360' 

Blue  clav 515' 

Oil-sand 720' 

Oil-sand 725' 

I 

Oil-sand 730' 

Graves  Oil  Co. 

Globe  Oil  Co. 

Comet  Oil  Co. 

Continental  Oil  Co. 
of  Los  Angeles. 

Sec.  29,  T.  28,  R.  28. 

Sec.  30,  T.  28,  R.  28. 

Sec.  30,  T.  28,  R.  28. 

Sec.  29,  T.  28,  R.  28. 

Drift,  etc 380' 

Drift,  etc 300' 

Drift  and   blue 

Drift,  etc 340' 

Dry  oil-sand 450' 

Water -sand, 

clay 390' 

Oil-sand 352' 

Oil-sand 520' 

blue  clay,  and 

Water-sand 470' 

Oil-sand  and  clay 

Clay  and  shale  .  570' 

dry  oil-sand..  550' 

Blue  clay 562' 

streaks 800' 

Oil-sand 620' 

Blue  clay 580' 

Oil-sand 962' 

Oil-sand,       very 

Clay  and  shale  .  627' 

Oil-sand 831' 

rich 848' 

Oil-sand... 710' 

Not  through  sand. 

Clay    and     con- 

glomerate   714' 

112 


CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 


TABLE  OF  WELL  RECOEDS— Continued. 


Spillacy, 

Wood  &  Co. 

Century  Oil  Co. 

Petroleum  Center 
Oil  Co. 

Shasta  Oil  Co. 

Sec.  30, 

T.  28,  R.  28. 

Sec.  24,  T.  28,  R.  27. 

Sec.  24,  T.  28,  R.  27. 

Sec.  14,  T.  28,  R.  27. 

Oil-sand 

at 700' 

Drift    and    red- 

Sandy clay 200' 

Volcanic  ash...      10' 

dish        sand- 

Soft sandstone-  400' 

Granitic  sand...  115' 

stone  300' 

Clay,  sand,  and 

Blue    clay    and 

Cemented  sand- 

water   775' 

sand... 170' 

stone  330' 

Oil-sand;  still  drill- 

Shaly,        sticky 

Brea 331' 

ing. 

clay 190' 

Blue    clay   and 

Coanse  blue  sand  200' 

sandstone  ...  400' 

Coarse  sand  and 

Oil-sand 402' 

blue  clay 270' 

Hard-sand 452' 

Conglomerate, 

Clay 472' 

sand,  and  water  470' 

Water-sand ;  un- 

Conglomerate 

finished. 

and  gas 515' 

Water-sand 695' 

Clay 710' 

Water-sand...  .  750' 
Sticky  clay  and 
oil  and   much 
gas 760' 

These  records  were  kindly  furnished  by  the  companies  mentioned. 

It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  estimate  the  thickness  of  oil-sand  strata  in 
a  well  which  is  yielding  oil,  especially  when  the  formation  is  caving;  but 
some  of  the  operators  in  the  Kern  River  field  state  that  they  have  esti- 
mated the  thickness  of  the  oil-sand  in  their  wells  by  carefully  casing  off 
all  the  strata  as  they  went  down,  and  that  they  found  the  oil-sand  to  be 
more  than  300'  in  thickness.  It  is  unlikely  that  the  oil-sands  in  the 
Kern  River  oil-field  will  prove  of  uniform  thickness  or  uniformly  satu- 
rated with  petroleum,  but  the  development  at  this  date  indicates  that 
the  Kern  River  oil-field  is  the  largest  developed  oil-field  in  California. 

The  owners  of  the  wells  in  the  Kern  River  field  state  that  their  wells 
will  produce  from  40  bbls.  to  more  than  100  bbls.  of  oil  a  day.  Owing 
to  lack  of  transportation,  there  has  not  been  a  sufficiently  continuous 
production  to  warrant  a  definite  statement  by  the  writer  as  to  the  yield 
of  the  wells  in  this  field.  The  oil  is  a  black  oil.  and  it  is  said  to  have 
a  gravity  of  from  14°  to  17°  B.  Much  running  sand  accompanies  the 
oil.  Some  companies  separate  the  sand  from  the  oil  by  running  both 
into  a  slump-hole,  where  the  sand  settles;  the  oil  is  then  pumped  from 
the  surface.  Other  operators  pump  the  oil  and  sand  into  flumes  fur- 
nished with  riffles  which  are  from  4"  to  8"  in  height.  The  flumes  are 
from  80'  to  300'  in  length,  and  the  riffles  are  from  8'  to  14'  apart,  accord- 
ing to  the  grade  of  the  flume.  In  a  few  instances,  the  oil  is  of  such 
gravity  that  it  has  to  be  steamed  in  the  well  before  it  can  be  pumped. 
In  a  general  way  it  may  be  said  that  there  is  very  little  gas  in  the  Kern 


KERN    RIVER   OIL-DISTRICT.  113 

River  oil-field,  although  in  some  instances  it  is  claimed  that  enough  gas 
could  be  collected  to  supply  fuel  for  steam  purposes.  The  gas  appears 
to  be  held  in  solution  in  the  oil,  and  separates  from  it  when  brought  to 
the  surface. 

In  August,  1900,  a  spur  was  run  from  the  main  line  of  the  S.  P.  R.  R. 
to  the  Kern  River  oil -field. 

7.3.2.  There  are  very  few  rock-exposures  in  the  Kern  River  oil-field. 
These  show  strata  of  clay  and  soft  sandstone.  The  sandstone  is  light- 
colored  and  formed  principally  of  granitic  material.  These  rocks 
resemble  the  formations  which  may  be  seen  resting  on  the  granite  a  few 
miles  northeast  of  the  oil-field. 

Between  the  oil-field  and  the  granite  the  sandstone  contains  fossils 
which  identify  the  formation  as  Middle  Neocene.  The  best  rock- 
exposures  seen  in  the  oil-fields  are  on  the  bank  of  Kern  River,  in  Sec.  2, 
T.  29  S.,  R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M,  At  this  point  strata  of  sandstone,  somewhat 
impregnated  with  petroleum,  dip  to  the  west  of  south  at  an  angle  of 
less  than  10°.  It  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  precise  direction  of  the  dip 
of  the  oil-sand,  even  when  the  depth  at  which  the  oil-sand  was  struck 
has  been  given.  The  reasons  of  this  difficulty  are:  First,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  tell  whether  or  not  the  first  oil-yielding  stratum  referred  to  in 
the  different  well  records  is  the  same  stratum;  second,  it  is  evident  that 
the  strata  vary  in  thickness  within  a  short  distance;  third,  the  angle  of 
the  dip  is  so  slight  that  it  is  necessary  to  use  the  records  of  wells  which 
are  far  apart  for  the  purposes  of  calculation;  fourth,  there  is  every 
reason  to  believe  that  the  strata  penetrated  in  the  Kern  River  oil-field 
undulate. 

Notwithstanding  the  difficulties  referred  to,  the  writer  collated  the 
well  records  kindly  furnished  him  by  the  well  owners  in  this  oil-field. 
From  these  records  it  appears  that  in  the  northern  portion  of  the  field 
the  strike  of  the  oil-sand  is  about  N.  30°  W.,  the  dip  being  S.  60°  W.  at 
an  angle  of  less  than  10°;  and  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  field,  the 
strike  is  about  N.  70°  W.,  the  dip  being  S.  20°  W.  at  an  angle  of  less  than 
10°.  It  is  probable  that  N.  60°  to  70°  W.  is  the  prevailing  strike  of  the 
Neocene  formations  in  the  Kern  River  district. 

7.3.3.  In  August,  1900,  when  the  Kern  River  district  was  visited  by 
the  writer,  the  Kern  River  might  be  said  to  bound  the  developed  portion 
of  the  Kern  River  oil-field  on  the  south  and  east.  The  rock-exposures 
on  the  banks  of  the  river  show  no  evidence  of  any  fault  or  line  of 
geological  disturbance  to  which  the  course  of  the  channel  of  the  Kern 
River  might  be  attributed,  and  the  terraced  banks  of  the  river  indicate 
a  long  period  of  gradual  erosion.  There  is  a  reasonable  probability, 
therefore,  that  remunerative  oil-yielding  formations  will  be  discovered 
on  the  south  side  of  Kern  River. 

8— Bl9 


114  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

7.3.4.  The  history  of  the  discovery  of  the  Kern  River  oil-field  is  as 
follows :  In  June,  1899,  J.  Elwood  &  Sons  dug  a  well  on  the  ranch  of 
Thomas  Means  near  the  outcrop  of  oil-sand  mentioned  in  the  Vllth 
Report  of  the  California  State  Mining  Bureau  as  being  on  the  north  side 
of  the  Kern  River  in  Sec.  3,  T.  29  S.,  R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M.  The  Elwood 
well  showed  some  oil  at  a  depth  of  35'.  It  was  drilled  with  a  hand 
auger  to  a  depth  of  60',  and  yielded  half  a  barrel  of  heavy  oil  a  day. 

In  June,  1899,  Elwood  &  Sons  contracted  with  M.  McWhorter  to 
drill  a  well  on  Sec.  3,  near  the  well  which  they  had  dug.  At  a  depth  of 
350'  a  20-bbl.  well  was  obtained.  In  July,  1899,  E.  R.  Doheny  &  But- 
ler organized  the  Petroleum  Development  Company,  and  purchased  the 
land  on  which  the  discovery  well  had  been  drilled.  This  company 
drilled  a  500'  well,  which  yielded  40  bbls.  a  day.  In  the  same  month, 
J.  B.  Treadwell  sunk  a  well  on  the  S.  -|  of  Sec.  3.  This  well  was  450' 
deep  and  remunerative. 

Many  other  parties  then  commenced  drilling.  In  December,  1899, 
the  Kern  River  Oil  Company  drilled  a  well  on  Sec.  4,  T.  29  S.,  R.  28  E., 
M.  D.  M.  This  well  is  600'  deep,  and  yielded  an  oil  of  14°  B.  specific 
gravity.  It  showed  the  extent  of  the  oil-territory.  There  was  a  great 
rush  to  locate  oil-claims,  and  every  available  piece  of  land  adjacent  to 
the  discovery  well  was  rapidly  taken  up. 

7.3.5.  The  Barker  ranch  lies  immediately  north  of  the  developed 
portion  of  the  Kern  River  oil-field.  Several  prospect  wells  have  been 
drilled  on  this  ranch,  as  herein  recorded.  Up  to  August,  1900,  no  oil 
has  been  struck  in  these  wells  ;  but  considerable  quantities  of  gas,  which 
from  its  odor  is  composed  largely  of  sulphureted  hydrogen,  have  been 
encountered.     (See  Barker  Ranch,  Prospect  Wells.) 

7.8.6.  Active  prospecting  is  also  being  carried  on  at  Poso  Creek,  which 
is  about  7  miles  north  of  Kern  River ;  and  some  shallow  wells  have 
been  drilled  on  Cottonwood  Creek,  which  empties  into  the  Kern  River 
about  7  miles  east  of  the  Kern  River  oil-field.  In  August,  1900,  the 
writer  could  not  learn  that  oil  had  been  struck  at  either  of  these  locali- 
ties.    (See  prospect  wells  on  Poso  and  Cottonwood  creeks.) 

7.3.7.  The  following  is  a  list  of  operators  in  the  Kern  River  oil- 
district  in  September,  1900,  together  with  a  statement  of  the  number 
of  drilling  wells,  completed  wells,  and  derricks: 


KERN    RIVER    OIL-DISTRICT. 


115 


LIST  OF  OPERATORS  IN  THE  KERN  RIVER  OIL-FIELD,  SEPTEMBER  1,  1900. 


Sec. 


T. 


R. 


Names  of  Operators. 


Drilling 
Wells. 


Oil-Wells 
Completed 


Derricks. 


5 
'20" 


28 


29 


30 


31 


32 


33 
'34' 


2 
26 
24 


29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
29 
28 


28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 
28 


28 


28 


28 

28 


28 
"28' 
'28" 


28 


28 


28 


28 


28 
'28" 


28 

27 
28 


J.  B.  Treadwell 

Petroleum  Development  Co 

San  Joaquin  Oil  Development  Co 

Petroleum  Develoj)ment  Co. 

Reed  Crude  Oil  Co 

Hercules  Oil  Co.. 

Petroleum  Development  Co.  .-. 

Revenue  Oil  Co. 

Central  Point  Consolidated 

Four  Oil  Co... 

Kern  River  Oil  Co. 

Aztec  Oil  ('o 

Grand  Central  Oil  Co -.. 

San  Joaquin  Oil  and  Development  Co.. 
Monte  Ci'isto  Oil  and  Development  Co 

Atlas  Oil  Co - 

Reed  Crude  Oil  Co 

Reed  Crude  Oil  Co 

Comet  Oil  Co 

Independent  Oil  Co.. 

Petroleum  Center  Oil  Co 

California  Mutual  Oil  Co. 

Kern  Oil  Co 

Graves  Oil  Co 

Sacramento  Oil  Co 

Canfield  Oil  Co 

Continental  Oil  Co.,  Los  Angeles 

Green  &  Whittier 

Gem  Oil  Co 

Globe  Oil  Co 

Spillacv  &  Woods 

Mt.  Diablo  Oil  Co 

Senator  Oil  Co 

Green  &  Whittier 

Fresno  and  Hanford  Oil  Co 

Sterling  Oil  Co 

Peerless  Oil  Co... 

Reed  Crude  Oil  Co 

Kern  Oil  Co 

West  Shore  Oil  Co 

Imperial  Oil  Co 

Thirty-three  Oil  Co 

Reed  Crude  Oil  Co 

Sol.  Jewett 

C.  F.Gardner 

Wm.  Dingee,  Jr 

Santa  Barbara  and  Kern  County  Oil  Co. 


1 
1 

'i" 
1 
1 

2 

'3' 
2 
1 
1 
4 
1 
1 
1 
1 

2 
2 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 

1 
3 
1 

"i" 
1 
1 

1 
1 
2 
2 
1 

"i' 
1 

1 


19 

15 

1 

1 


1 
5 
8 
1 
4 
6 
1 
5 
9 


2 
4 
2 
1 
4 
2 
15 
6 
1 


22 
20 
6 
1 
1 
1 
2 

5 

10 

2 

6 
12 
1 
12 
5 
1 
2 

14 
3 
4 
4 
1 
1 
4 
5 
7 
3 
3 
1 
5 
3 
2 
4 
1 
1 
4 
6 
6 
4 
6 
5 
17 
11 
1 


PROSPECT  WELLS  ON  THE  BARKER  RANCH. 

7.3.8.  Barker  Ranch  Development  Company  (J.  Dalzell,  president) 
has  two  wells  in  Sec.  5,  T.  29  S.,  R.  29  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  well  No.  1,  the 
formation  penetrated  is  as  follows:  Gravel  and  drift  to  23';  brown 
shale  to  33';  yellow  shale  to  63';  clay  to  93';  blue  shale  to  340';  then  a 
hard  stratum  of  blue  sand  to  506'.  This  well  yields  warm  flowing,  sul- 
phureted  water  and  gas.  In  well  No.  2  the  formation  penetrated  is 
as  follows:  Clay  to  10';  light-colored  clay  and  diatomaceous  earth  to 
40';  limestone  and  shale  to  41';  diatomaceous  earth  to  90';  hard  shell 
(the  term  "shell"  is  used  by  the  drillers  to  signify  a  thin  stratum  of 
hard  rock)  to  91';  blue  clay  to  199';  hard  shell  to  200';  blue  clay  to 
215';  hard  shell  to  216';  blue  clay  to  320';  soft  shale  to  321';  blue  clay 


116  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

to  460';  hard  shell  to  468';  blue  sand  to  509';  hard  shell  to  514';  blue 
sand  to  542';  hard  shell  to  557';  blue  clay  and  sand  to  573';  shell  to 
574';  blue  clay  to  601';  shell  to  609';  blue  sand  to  617';  shell  to  622' 
blue  clay  to  630';  shell  to  631';  clay  and  sand  to  640';  clay  to  658' 
clay  and  bowlders  to  668';   cemented  sand  to  678';  black  shale  to  685' 
sand  and  bowlders  to  701';    hard  shell  to  704';    hard    shale    to    706' 
bowlders  to  707';  hard  shell  to  708';  clay  to  711';  hard  shell  to  715' 
sand  and  yellow  clay  to  743';  hard  shell  to  743^';   bowlders  to  747' 
sand  to  765';  yellow  clay  to  778';  clay  and  sand  to  802';  hard  shell  to 
812';  blue  clay  and  bowlders  to  819';  shell  to  825';  blue  sand  to  828'; 
dark-blue  clay  to  866';  blue  clay  to  872';  hard  shell  to  874';  blue  clay 
to  876';   hard  shell  to  880';  yellow  clay  to  890';  shale  to  896';  hard 
shell  to  910';  soft  blue  shale  to  916';  shale  to  959';  blue  shale  to  969'. 
Drilling.     No  water. 

7.8.9.  Beaver  Oil  Company  has  a  well  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  36,  T.  28  S., 
R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.3.10.  Rio  Bravo  and  White  Range  Oil  Company  has  a  well  near  the 
west  line  of  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  30,  T.  28  3.,  R.  29  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

PROSPECT  WELLS  ON  COTTONWOOD  CREEK. 

7.3.11.  Mount  Adelaide  Oil  and  Mining  Company  (of  Bakersfield; 
James  P.  Dougherty,  president)  has  a  150'  well  on  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec. 
18,  T.  29  S.,  R.  30  E.,  M.  D.  M.;  also  one  215'  well  on  the  S.E.  i  of 
Sec.  18,  T.  29  S.,  R.  3  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

PROSPECT  WELLS  ON  POSO  CREEK. 

7.3.12.  Bachelors  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco)  has  a  well  near 
the  center  of  Sec.  20,  T.  27  S.,  R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.3.13.  Cosmopolitan  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  W.  Gregg, 
president)  has  a  well  in  the  center  of  Sec.  32,  T.  27  S.,  R.  29  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Formation,  blue  clay  and  sand  to  a  depth  of  1033'.     Drilling. 

7.3.14.  Defiance  Mineral  Company  (of  Bakersfield)  has  a  well  in  the 
S.E.  I  of  Sec.  12,  T.  27  S.,  R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.3.15.  New  Hope  Oil  Company  has  a  well  on  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  29, 
T.  27  S.,  R.  27  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.3.16.  Twenty-two  Oil  Company  has  a  well  on  the  S.  \  of  Sec.  22, 
T.  27  S.,  R.  27  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.3.17.  Vishnu  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  W.  Gregg,  president) 
has  one  well  in  Sec.  19,  T.  27  S.,  R.  29  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation,  clay 
and  sand  with  good  water,  which  rose  to  within  100'  of  the  top  of  the 
casing.  Drilling.  This  company  has  also  a  well  in  Sec.  30,  T.  27  S., 
R.  29  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation,  blue  clay,  shale,  and  sand.  Good 
water  rose  to  within  110'  of  the  top  of  the  casing.  This  company  has 
also  a  well  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  2,  T.  28  S.,  R.  28  E.,  M.  D.  M. 


^^^  . 

'    ^ 


t-<^:^' 


-:jii^*  . 


PHOTO  29.    Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's  Wells,  Pico  Caxon,  Los  Angeles  County. 


a-»i-.*»"*3i-_'» 


PHOTO  30.    Sunset  Oil-Field,  Kern  County. 


THE    SUNSET   OIL-DISTRICT.  117 


CHAPTER  4. 


THE  SUNSET  OIL-DISTRICT. 

7.4.1.  The  tirst  locators  of  claims  in  the  Sunset  oil-district  were  the 
grantprs  of  the  Sunset  Oil  Company  of  Tulare.  In  -January,  1890,  the 
Sunset  Oil  Company  leased  their  oil-claims  in  the  Sunset  district  to 
Charles  Barnard,  who  assigned  a  half  interest  in  his  lease  to  Messrs. 
Jewett  &  Blodget  of  Bakersfield,  and  eventually  sold  them  his  entire 
interest  in  the  Sunset  district. 

7.4.2.  Messrs.  Jewett  &  Blodget  sunk  a  group  of  thirteen  wells,  all 
within  an  area  of  about  400'  by  30'.  These  wells  varied  from  about  80' 
to  500'  in  depth,  except  one  well,  which  was  1300'  deep.  These  wells 
yielded,  all  told,  about  15  bbls.  a  day,  the  gravity  of  the  oil  being  about 
12°  B.  A  second  group  of  wells  was  drilled  by  Messrs.  Jewett  &  Blod- 
get, about  a  mile  southeast  of  their  first  wells.  This  group  consisted  of 
three  wells  from  820'  to  1350'  deep,  and  yielded  about  15  bbls.  of  oil  a 
day,  with  much  water.     The  gravity  of  the  oil  was  about  16°  B. 

7.4.3.  Messrs.  Jewett  &  Blodget  also  refined  the  asphaltum  from  the 
superficial  deposits  of  the  Sunset  district.  They  used  the  heavy  oil  as 
flux.  The  refinery  consisted  of  open  kettles,  and  the  refined  product 
was  shipped  by  team  to  Bakersfield,  a  distance  of  about  40  miles.  The 
expense  of  transportation  led  to  the  suspension  of  the  enterprise. 

7.4.4.  Messrs.  Jewett  &  Blodget  then  sunk  sixteen  wells  and  three 
shafts  in  Sec.  13,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  and  Sec.  18,  T.  11  N., 
R.  23  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  and  other  wells  were  drilled  as  hereinafter  recorded. 
(See  Photo  No.  30.)  (See  record  of  producing  and  prospect  wells.)  In 
August,  1900,  it  was  said  that  there  were  eighteen  producing  wells  in  the 
Sunset  district.  The  product  of  these  wells  is  being  refined  by  Messrs. 
Jewett  &  Blodget  in  their  refinery  in  the  Sunset  district.    (See  Refineries.) 

7.4.5.  The  Sunset  oil-district  is  situated  on  the  southwest  side  of  the 
San  Joaquin  Valley  about  40  miles  from  Bakersfield.  (See  Photo  No. 
30.)  This  district  embraces  T.  32  S.,  R.  23  and  24  E.,  M.  D.  M.;  T.  12  N., 
R.  23  and  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.;  T.  11  N.,  R.  22  and  23  W.,  S.  B.  M.; 
also  that  portion  of  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  lying  east  of  the  west- 
ern boundary  of  Kern  County;  and  includes  the  first  two  tiers  of  foothills 
of  the  Coast  Ranges.  The  two  tiers  of  foothills  mentioned  commence  in 
the  most  northeasterly  portion  of  the  Temblor  Mountains,  and  extend 
in  a  southeasterly  direction  until  they  sink  in  the  mesa  land  between 
the  foothills  and  the  valley.     (See  Atlas,  Figs.  J,  K,  and  M.) 

7.4.6.  The  rocky  strata  throughout  the  foothills  of  this  portion  of  the 
Coast  Ranges  are  generally  obscured  by  soil,  which,  except  in  dry  seasons. 


118  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

is  productive  of  fair  grazing  during  the  spring.  There  is  no  potable  water 
in  the  Sunset  oil-district,  although  there  are  numerous  saline  springs. 
To  the  south  of  the  district,  tier  after  tier  of  mountainous  ridges  rises 
toward  the  dominant  ridge  of  the  Tehachapai  range,  as  this  portion  of 
the  Coast  Ranges  is  named  on  the  Kern  County  map.  The  northeastern 
slope,  and  the  greater  portion  of  the  summit  slope  of  the  Tehachapai 
range,  are  covered  with  alluvium.  On  the  summits  of  these  mountains 
there  are  not  only  grazing,  but  also  agricultural  lands.  Potable  water 
is  found  in  springs  and  also  by  digging  in  the  bottoms  of  ravines;  and, 
although,  as  the  writer  is  informed,  several  dry  wells  are  often  dug 
before  water  is  obtained,  the  water-supply,  except  in  dry  seasons, 
appears  to  be  sufficient  for  the  requirements  of  the  inhabitants. 

7.4.7.  The  rocky  formations  which  impinge  on  the  southern  portion 
of  the  Sunset  oil-district  constitute  the  mountainous  ridges  previously 
mentioned  on  the  northeastern  slope  of  the  Tehachapai  range.  These 
ridges  are,  for  the  most  part,  formed  by  faults  and  minor  folds  in  the 
stratified  rocks  supplemented  by  erosion.  The  strike  of  this  formation,  in 
a  general  way,  is  northwesterly.  No  fossils  were  found  in  this  formation, 
but  its  lithological  character  resembles  that  of  the  San  Emidio  Canon, 
where  a  small  collection  of  fossils  was  obtained.  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper 
found  these  to  consist  of  two  orders:  (a)  Fossils  from  thick  sandstone 
strata,  which  are  referred  by  him  to  the  Tejon  group  of  the  Eocene 
age,  formerly  called  Cretaceous  B;  (b)  Miocene  fossils,  also  from  thick 
sandstone  strata.  As  previously  mentioned,  the  Miocene  and  Pliocene 
formations  are  grouped  under  the  head  of  Neocene. 

7.4.8.  The  rocky  formations  of  the  Sunset  oil-district  will  now  be 
enumerated  in  what  ajjpears  to  be  the  order  of  their  relative  strati- 
graphical  superposition.  (See  Fig.  12.)  The  geological  periods  to 
which  they  respectively  belong  can  only  be  inferred  from  the  few  poorly 
preserved  fossils  obtained  in  this  locality,  and  from  the  physical  resem- 
blance of  the  rocks  themselves  to  the  rocks  of  other  formations  on  the 
eastern  slope  of  the  Coast  Ranges,  which  are  richer  in  palseontological 
evidence.  The  oldest  rocks  exposed  in  the  Sunset  oil-district  consist  of 
sandstone,  calcareo-silicious  rocks  and  impure  limestone,  dark-colored 
shales,  massive  light-colored  shales  showing  a  hackly  fracture,  strata  of 
sandstone  with  rounded  concretions,  calcareous  sandstones,  and  fine 
calcareous  conglomerate.  The  exposures  of  formation  are  scarce,  and 
the  few  that  exist  show  great  geological  disturbance.  Within  short 
distances,  the  strata  frequently  dip  in  opposite  directions  and  at  different 
anglf  s  of  inclination;  the  prevailing  dip,  however,  appears  to  be  north- 
easterly. This  formation  yields  springs  of  sulphureted  brines,  and  in 
one  place  a  small  quantity  of  greenish  oil  accompanies  the  brine,  but 
no  calcareous  tufa  nor  any  solid  bituminous  deposit  is  formed.  No 
fossils  were  found  in  these   strata.      The  most  characteristic  features 


THE    SUNSET    OIL-DISTRICT. 


119 


I 


FIG.   12 

SECTION  SHOWING  APPROXIMATELY  THE  MAX/MUM 

THICKNESS     OF  LIGHTCOLORED   SHALES     EXPOSED 

/N  THE-SUNSETO/L  D/ST.  KERN  CO. 


2000 


LI&HTCOLORBO  S/L/C/OUS  SHALES 
WHICH    V/E/.0     HEAVY    TAPLIHE  O/L 
LOyVER        NEOCENE      "     " 


FIG.  13 

SECTION  OF  TERT/APY  STRATA  in  KETTL  EM  AN  H/LL3, 

(middle  neocene.) 


zooo' 


'w 


^T  3He.Ll.    PBAX    -THERE   fr/^E  t-fT/^CE 
THE    f^/OOi-E      /\/£ac£'^ £  EfOCH 


v',^" 


FIG. 14 
3ECT/0N     THROUGH  O/L  C/TY  F/ELD 

Fresno  County^ 


O/^E    M/i.£ 


*-  £  O    C  £  r>f  £ 


120  CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING   BUREAU. 

i 

of  this  formation  are  the  dark-colored  argillaceous  shales,  and  the 
sandstone  containing  rounded  concretions.  The  stratigraphical  posi- 
tion and  the  physical  character  of  this  formation  warrant  the  assump- 
tion that  it  belongs  to  the  same  geological  horizon  as  do  the  Eocene 
shales  and  sandstones  underlying  the  light-colored  silicious  shales 
in  the  oil-district  9  miles  north  of  Coalinga  in  Fresno  County.  Over- 
lying the  formations,  which  we  may  tentatively  class  as  Eocene,  in 
the  Sunset  district,  is  a  formation  composed  mainly  of  light-colored 
silicious  shales,  and  constituting  the  first  tier  of  foothills.  (See  Fig.  12.) 
These  shales  are  for  the  most  part  of  a  brownish  color  when  first  mined, 
but  they  become  almost  white  under  the  action  of  the  atmosphere; 
indeed,  the  outcroppings  of  this  rock  are  white  or  light-colored  for 
several  feet  beneath  the  surface.  In  some  places,  the  bleaching  of  these 
shales  can  be  traced  directly  to  the  action  of  sulphureted  vapor. 

7.4.9.  This  light-colored  silicious  shale  is  by  far  the  most  character- 
istic rock  of  the  bituminous  formations;  much  of  it  is  of  low  specific 
gravity  and  porous,  sticking  readily  to  the  tongue,  and  is  easily  scratched. 
Some  of  it,  however,  especially  in  the  lower  portion  of  the  formation,  is 
indurated,  apparently  by  the  infiltration  of  silicious  water.  Occasionally 
pieces  of  this  shale  are  found  which  show  silicious  induration  only  in 
the  outer  portions  of  the  laminae  of  which  it  is  composed,  and  a  cross- 
fracture  reveals  soft,  light-colored  shale  within. 

7.4.10.  The  chemical  composition  of  these  shales  is  as  interesting  as 
their  physical  appearance,  the  characteristic  feature  being  the  large 
amount  of  silica  they  contain.  Two  specimens  from  the  Sunset  oil- 
district  were  examined  which  showed  as  follows : 


Insoluble  in  Acid. 

Silica  Soluble  in  Sodium 
Carbonate. 

Total  Amount  of  Silica. 

(a) 

99  per  cent 
91  per  cent 

12  per  cent 
24  per  cent 

98  per  cent 
89  per  cent 

7.4.11.  The  light-colored  shales  are  much  less  disturbed  than  the 
formation  on  which  they  rest.  The  prevailing  direction  of  the  dip  of 
the  light-colored  shales  in  the  Sunset  oil-district  is  N.  30°  E.,  and  the 
angle  of  inclination  is  in  some  places  as  low  as  20°,  while  in  others  it  is 
as  high  as  80°.  Although  the  southern  limit  of  the  light-colored  shale 
in  the  district  is  tolerably  well  defined,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  in  some 
places,  where  this  shale  has  escaped  erosion,  it  may  extend  a  long  way 
up  the  northeastern  slope  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  In  one  instance,  a  well 
was  dug  at  an  altitude  of  nearly  3000',  in  which  light-colored  shales, 
similar  in  appearance  to  those  found  in  the  lower  foothills,  were  pene- 
trated. 

7.4.12.  Investigations  in  various  parts  of  the  Coast  Ranges  warrant 


THE   SUNSET    OIL-DISTRICT.  121 

the  classification  of  these  shales  as  Lower  Neocene  (Miocene);  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  they  rest  non-conformably  on  the  underlying 
rocks. 

7.4J3.  Numerous  seepages  of  heavy  petroleum  exude  from  these 
shales,  forming  beds  of  asphaltum,  which,  in  some  places,  before  these 
deposits  were  mined  by  Messrs.  Jewett  &  Blodget,  extended  over  an 
area  of  several  acres.  This  asphaltum,  much  of  which  remains,  is 
principally  black,  pitch-like  bitumen,  varying  from  solid  to  viscous, 
and  some  of  it  is  of  a  yellowish-brown  color;  it  is  of  different  degrees  of 
purity,  and  existed  not  only  in  beds  and  mounds,  but  was  found  by 
excavation  to  extend  beneath  the  superficial  drift.  In  some  of  these 
beds  the  bones  of  animals  and  stone  mortars  and  other  Indian  relics 
were  found  beneath  four  or  five  feet  of  asphaltum. 

7.4.14.  When  this  territory  was  visited  by  the  writer  in  1894,  he 
found  that  Messrs.  Jewett  &  Blodget  had  drilled  and  dug  twelve  wells 
from  80'  to  500'  in  depth  in  the  shale  formation;  these  wells  are  all 
within  an  area  of  300'  in  length  by  40'  in  width.  They  yielded,  all 
told,  about  15  bbls.  of  oil  in  twenty-four  hours.  The  specific  gravity  of 
the  oil  varied  in  the  different  wells  from  about  12°  B.  to  a  liquid 
asphaltum  which  required  to  be  heated  by  steam  before  it  could  be 
pumped. 

7.4.15.  In  several  places  springs  of  brine  and  sulphureted  water 
issue  from  the  light-colored  shales. 

7.4.16.  Overlying  the  light-colored  silicious  shales  is  a  formation 
composed  largely  of  comparatively  soft  sandstone.  In  the  Sunset  district 
only  a  few  rocks  belonging  to  this  formation  are  exposed;  they  contain 
Middle  Neocene  fossils.  (See  Bulletin  No.  3.)  At  Lobos  Creek,  on 
the  San  Emidio  ranch,  this  formation  is  seen  resting  on  the  light-colored 
silicious  shale.  Between  Lobos  Creek  and  Mud  Creek,  a  small  collection 
of  fossils  was  made  from  this  formation.  These  were  classified  by 
Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper  and  found  to  represent  the  Middle  Neocene  age, 
(See  Bulletin  No.  3.) 

7.4.17.  Near  Coalinga  in  Fresno  County,  as  hereinafter  mentioned, 
the  writer  found  evidence  of  this  formation  resting  non-conformably  on 
the  light-colored  shales,  and  in  some  places  it  contained  fragments  of 
shale,  apparently  similar  to  the  light-colored  silicious  shales  previously 
mentioned.  At  the  Sunset  oil-wells  and  in  the  Coalinga  district,  oil- 
sands  are  found  in  lower  beds  of  this  formation. 

7.4.18.  In  1892-93,  Messrs.  Jewett  &  Blodget  drilled  three  wells  in 
Sec.  28,  T.  11  N.,  R.  25  W.,  S.  B.  M.  Although  at  the  point  where  the 
wells  are  drilled  the  rocks  are  covered  with  alluvium,  there  is  little  doubt 
that  these  wells  penetrate  Middle  Neocene  formations.  The  record  of 
one  of  the  wells  is  as  follows : 


122  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

Well  No.  1. 

Svilphur  and  apparently  calcareous  tufa  deposited  by  mineral  water... 45' 

Very  hard  gray  and  blue  sandstone 80' 

(At  a  depth  of  58'  there  was  a  little  oil  and  some  mineral  water.) 
Gray  sandstone  with  soft  streaks  and  more  mineral  water 160' 

(At  this  depth  the  casing  was  reduced  to  8%".) 
Soft  blue  sandstone,  with  hard  shells  and  more  water 402' 

(At  this  depth  the  casing  was  reduced  to  6%".) 
Blue  sandstone 420' 

(At  this  depth  the  water  was  shut  off.) 

Coarse  sandstone,  with  oil  and  water  and  much  gas 440' 

Light  blue  sand 445' 

Sand,  with  water 820' 

This  well  was  cased  from  the  depth  of  420'  to  that  of  820'  with  5" 
casing.  Superintendent  Youle  states  that  this  well  was  tested,  and 
that  about  100  bbls.  of  brine  and  6  bbls.  of  oil  were  pumped  from  it 
daily  for  three  months.     It  also  furnished  enough  gas  for  a  cook-stove. 

7.4.19.  Many  of  the  wells  being  drilled  in  the  Sunset  district  in 
August,  1900,  appeared  to  penetrate  strata  immediately  overlying  the 
light-colored  shales  and  belonging  to  the  Middle  Neocene  formation; 
the  character  of  this  formation  is  further  shown  by  the  record  of  the 
Monarch  well,  which  penetrated  a  series  of  clays  and  sandstones.  (See 
record  of  Monarch  well.)  The  oil  obtained  in  this  formation  is  of  lower 
gravity  than  that  obtained  in  the  silicious  shale  formation.  In  the 
shale  formation  it  is  usually  about  10°  or  11°  B.,  but  in  the  Sunset  dis- 
trict the  oil  from  the  Middle  Neocene  formations  varies  from  14°  to  17°  B. 

7.4.20.  Associated  with  the  rocks  of  the  Middle  Neocene  age  are 
white  silicious  sandstones,  which  appear  to  have  been  hardened  by 
infiltering  water.  There  is  also  a  soft  gypseous  rock,  which  rests  non- 
conformably  on  the  older  formations.  In  the  eastern  portion  of  the 
Sunset  oil-district,  and  about  a  mile  eastward  therefrom,  this  white 
gypseous  rock  attains  a  thickness  of  several  feet  and  forms  low  hills  on 
the  mesa-land.  It  may  also  be  seen  resting  upon  the  upturned  edges  of 
older  strata  at  an  altitude  of  nearly  2000'.  A  specimen  of  this  white 
rock  was  examined  in  the  laboratory  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  and 
was  found  to  be  composed  of  sulphate  and  a  carbonate  of  lime  and 
claye}''  matter.  There  are  also  deposits  of  calcareous  tufa  and  breccia, 
apparently  of  later  age  than  the  Neocene  rocks.  A  description  of  the 
Sunset  district  would  be  incomplete  unless  some  mention  were  made  of 
its  deposits  of  sulphur  and  gypsum. 

7.4.21.  The  deposits  of  sulphur  in  the  Sunset  district  are  found  under 
the  following  conditions:  As  drift  cemented  with  sulphur,  as  irregular 
masses  of  sulphur  in  the  drift,  as  sulphur  incrusting  and  filling  fissures 
in  the  rocks,  as  sulphurous  earth,  or  as  sulphurous  precipitate  from  the 
waters  of  mineral  springs.  The  sulphurous  earths  are  frequently  black, 
contain  bituminous  matter,  and  have  a  strongly  acid  taste  and  fetid 
odor.     The  sulphur  deposits  appear  to  follow  fissures  in  the  rocks,  the 


WELLS    IN    SUNSET   OIL-DISTRICT.  123 

prevailing  trend  being  N.  80°  E.  The  sulphur  is  evidently  formed  by 
the  decomposition  of  sulphureted  hydrogen.  In  some  places  these 
sulphur  deposits  have  been  prospected  by  excavation  to  a  depth  of  10' 
or  12'.     These  deposits  are  not  worked. 

7.4.22.  The  principal  deposit  of  gypsum  in  the  Sunset  district  is 
situated  in  its  southeastern  borders.  The  gypsum  forms  a  stratum  of 
rather  soft,  chalki^-looking  rock,  and  in  some  places  it  attains  a  thick- 
ness of  several  feet.  It  is  mixed,  containing  much  carbonate  of  lime 
and  chalky  clay. 


CHAPTER   5. 

WELLS  IN  SUNSET  OIL-DISTRICT. 

The  following  records  were  obtained  in  August,  1900: 

PRODUCING  WELLS. 

7.5.1.  Monarch  Oil  Company  (of  Arizona;  E.  Aigeltinger,  president) 
has  a  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  2,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.  In 
July,  1900,  this  well  was  500'  deep.  It  is  a  flowing  well  and  is  said  to 
yield  75  bbls.  of  oil  a  day.  The  formation  penetrated  by  this  well  is: 
Drift  and  water-sand  to  260';  hard  stratum  to  266';  blue  clay  to  311'; 
brown  sand  and  a  little  oil  to  336';  oil-sand  to  350';  hard  stratum  to 
358';  blue  clay  to  388';  sand  and  heavy  oil  to  396';  blue  clay  to  488', 
and  oil-sand  to  495'. 

7.5.2.  Jewett  &  Blodget  Oil  Company  has  sixteen  wells  in  the  S.E.  5 
of  Sec.  13,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.  These  wells  vary  from  250'  to 
400'  in  depth.  The  formation  penetrated  is  principally  shale.  It  is 
said  that  these  wells  yield  from  10  to  25  bbls.  of  oil  a  day.  Gravity  of 
oil,  11°  B.  This  company  also  has  a  well  875'  deep  in  the  S.W.  i  of 
Sec.  18,  T.  11  N.,  R.  23  W.,  S.  B.  M.  The  formation  is  principally  shale. 
There  are  two  strata  of  oil-sand. 

PROSPECT  WELLS. 

7.5.3.  Acvie  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  E.  V.  Van  Norman,  presi- 
dent) has  a  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  12,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M. 
In  July,  1900,  this  well  was  300'  deep.  Formation,  shale,  with  good 
showing  of  oil.     Drilling. 

7.5.4.  Bachelors  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco)  has  a  well  in  Sec. 
22,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.  It  is  said  that  there  is  a  good  showing 
of  oil  in  this  well. 

7.5.5.  Barrett  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco)  has  a  well  in  the  N.E.  i 
of  Sec.  11,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.     In  July,  1900,  this  well  was 


124  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

1025'  deep.     Formation,  mostly  shale  and  clay,  with  a  good  showing 
of  oil.     Gravity  of  oil,  14°  B.     Drilling. 

7.5.6.  Golden  Gate  Oil  Producing  Company  (of  Stockton,  San  Joaquin 
County;  D.  0.  Castle,  president)  has  a  well  400'  deep  in  Sec.  13,  T.  11  N., 
R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  but  it  was  abandoned  on  account  of  water.  This 
company  also  has  a  well  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  2,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M. 
Drilling. 

7.5.7.  Lion  Oil  Company  (E.  B.  Weed  of  San  Francisco,  president) 
has  a  well  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  12,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.     Drilling. 

7.5.8.  Manhattan  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  A.  C.  Jones,  president) 
has  a  well  in  the  S.  W.  i  of  Sec.  11,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.     Drilling. 

7.5.9.  Navajo  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  R.  R.  Burns,  president) 
has  a  well  200'  deep  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  20,  T.  11  N.,  R.  23  W.,  S.  B.  M. 
Formation,  shale,  with  a  good  showing  of  oil.     Drilling. 

7.5.10.  Pittsburg  Oil  Company  (of  Baiiersfield;  F.  S.  Benson,  presi- 
dent) has  a  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  1,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.  In 
July,  1900,  this  well  was  800'  deep.  Formation,  clay-shale  and  sand. 
Drilling. 

7.5.11.  State  Crude  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  G.  W.  Whiteford, 
president)  has  a  Avell  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  14,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M. 
Formation,  principally  shale.     Drilling. 

7.5.12.  Sunset  Bahersfield  Crude  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco; 
H.  F.  Bulwer,  president)  has  a  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  13,  T.  11  N., 
R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.  In  July,  1900,  this  well  was  800'  deep.  Formation, 
blue  shale.  This  well  yields  flowing  sulphureted  water.  Abandoned. 
This  company  also  has  a  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  21,  T.  11  N.,  R.  23  W., 
S.  B.  M.  In  July,  1900,  this  well  was  325'  deep.  Formation,  black 
shale,  with  some  oil.     Gravity  of  oil,  11°  B.     Drilling. 

7.5.13.  Sunset  Czar  Oil  Company  (of  Pasadena,  Los  Angeles  County; 
B.  W.  Hahn,  president)  has  a  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  19,  T.  11  N., 
R.  23  W.,  S.  B.  M.     Drilling. 

7.5.14.  Sunset  King  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  B.  W.  Hahn,  pres- 
ident) has  a  well  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  10,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M. 
Formation,  blue  shale.     Drilling. 

7.5.15.  Sunset  Petroleum  and  Refining  Company  (of  Los  Angeles; 
J.  W.  Evans,  secretary)  has  a  well  100'  deep  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  29, 
T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W.,  S.  B.  M.     Good  showing  of  oil.     Drilling. 

7.5.16.  Sunset  Queen  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  L.  Vickery, 
president)  has  a  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  14,  T.  11  N.,  R.  24  W., 
S.  B.  M.     Formation,  shale.     Drilling. 

7.5.17.  Western  Mineral  Oil  Company  (of  Bakersfield;  Gordon  Bland- 
ing  of  San  Francisco,  president)  has  a  well  in  the  S.E.  ^  of  Sec.  17, 
T.  11  N.,  R.  23  W.,  S.  B.  M.  In  July,  1900,  this  well  was  800'  deep. 
Formation,  black  shale,  with  some  gas.     Drilling.     This  company  has 


THE    m'kITTRICK    DISTRICT.  125 

also  a  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  27,  T.  11  N.,  R.  23  W.,  S.  B.  M.  In 
July,  1900,  this  well  Avas  1400'  deep.  Formation,  shale,  with  a  little  oil 
of  high  specific  gravity.     Drilling. 


CHAPTER  6. 


THE  McKITTRICK  DISTRICT. 


7.6.1.  The  railroad  depot  at  McKittrick  is  about  25  miles  northwest 
of  the  Sunset  district.  The  road  between  the  two  places  lies  over  the 
lowermost  foothills  of  the  Coast  Ranges.  Along  this  road  there  are  very 
few  rock-exposures,  but  they  are  sufficient  to  show  that  the  rocks  form- 
ing the  lower  foothills  between  Sunset  and  McKittrick  belong  to  the 
Middle  Neocene  formation;  while  the  white  slopes  of  the  upper  foothills 
indicate  the  white  outcropping  shales  of  the  Lower  Neocene  age.  At  the 
time  this  locality  was  visited  by  the  writer,  prospect  wells  were  being 
drilled  in  the  foothills  between  Sunset  and  McKittrick  by  the  Bay  City, 
the  Pacific  Consolidated,  and  the  Hartford  oil  companies.  (See  record 
of  prospect  wells  in  McKittrick  district.) 

7.6.2.  The  McKittrick  district,  including  the  Temblor  district,  em- 
braces the  following  townships:  T.  29  S.,  R.  20  and  21  E.;  T.  30  S., 
R.  21  and  22  E.;  T.  31  S.,  R.  22  and  23  E.;  and  also  that  portion  of 
T.  80  S.,  R.  20  E.,  lying  east  of  the  western  boundary  of  Kern  County — 
all  in  M.  D.  M.  This  area  extends  more  than  20  miles  along  the  western 
foothills  of  the  Santa  Maria  Mountains,  and  has  a  width  of  about  10 
miles.  The  foothills  in  which  the  oil-wells  and  asphaltum-beds  at 
McKittrick  are  situated  are,  for  the  most  part,  covered  with  alluvial  soil, 
which,  except  in  dry  seasons,  sustains  a  scanty  herbage  during  the 
spring,  but  in  many  places  there  is  an  abundant  growth  of  greasewood 
and  sagebrush. 

7.6.3.  The  first  portion  of  the  territory,  now  known  as  the  McKit- 
trick district,  to  be  developed  was  the  lowermost  bench  of  hills  which 
rises  from  the  mesa  land  to  the  north  of  the  McKittrick  railroad  depot. 
(See  Photo  No.  31.)  These  lands  were  patented  about  thirty  years  ago 
by  Garibaldi,  Jo  Queralo,  and  others,  and  the  patents  include  the 
asphaltum-beds  at  what  is  now  called  McKittrick. 

In  1866  the  Buena  Vista  Petroleum  Company  erected  a  still  about  3 
miles  northwest  from  where  McKittrick  now  stands,  at  the  spring  now 
owned  by  Miller  &  Lux.  This  still  had  a  capacity  of  300  gallons.  The 
oil  was  taken  from  pits  and  open  cuts,  and  had  a  gravity  of  from  10°  to 
12°  B.;  but  it  is  said  that  at  a  depth  of  30'  oil  was  obtained  having  a 
gravity  of  21°  B.     About  3000  gallons  of  refined  oil  were  produced,  but. 


126  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

owing  to  the  expense  of  transportation  and  other  difficulties,  the  enter- 
prise was  abandoned.  Subsequently  Blodget  &  Weil  of  Bakersfield 
sunk  a  300'  well,  and  at  this  depth  there  is  said  to  have  been  a  good 
showing  of  oiL  In  1887,  J.  S.  Hambleton  and  others  drilled  a  565'  well, 
in  which  the  oil  rose  to  within  3'  of  the  top  of  the  casing.  Later  the 
Buena  Vista  Petroleum  Company  erected  a  refinery  of  three  kettles  to 
refine  the  superficial  deposits  of  asphaltum,  but  this  enterprise  was 
abandoned.  In  1893,  when  McKittrick,  then  called  Asphalto,  was 
visited  by  the  writer,  several  companies  were  holding  oil-land  there;  and 
a  railroad  had  been  built  to  it  from  Bakersfield.  The  Standard  Asphalt 
Company,  which  had  leased  and  acquired  a  large  tract  of  oil  and  as- 
phaltum land,  had  erected  an  asphaltum  refinery  of  twelve  kettles,  each 
of  which  was  12^'x  5'x  3'.  This  refinery  was  erected  to  refine  the  super- 
ficial deposits  of  asphaltum.  The  enterprise  would  have  been  a  failure 
but  for  the  discovery  of  veins  of  asphaltum  about  1^  miles  southeast  of 
McKittrick.  Until  1900  large  quantities  of  asphaltum  were  obtained 
from  these  mines.  The  refinery  first  erected  by  the  Standard  Asphalt 
Company  was  burned  down,  but  a  new  one  was  built  about  li  miles 
southeast  of  the  old  site.  This  refinery  consisted  of  twelve  kettles, 
having  a  capacity  of  about  60  tons.  Here  the  asphaltum  from  the 
asphaltum  mines  was  refined  until  January,  1899,  when  the  company 
practically  suspended  operations,  making  only  occasional  runs.  The 
new  works  were  called  Asphalto,  and  the  site  of  the  old  works,  McKit- 
trick. 

In  1893,  the  Buena  Vista  Oil  Company  had  a  410'  well,  from  which 
22  bbls.  of  oil  a  day  had  been  pumped,  and  a  92'  well  which  yielded 
about  3  bbls.  of  oil  a  day.  Oil  was  also  obtained  for  the  asphaltum 
refinery  from  several  dug  wells. 

In  1898,  Melton  McWhorter  erected  a  small  refinery  at  McKittrick, 
where  he  manufactured  paint,  axle-grease,  and  other  compounds  from 
the  crude  oil.  In  February,  1899,  McWhorter,  Berry,  Keller  &  Spencer 
leased  a  portion  of  the  land  operated  by  the  Buena  Vista  Petroleum 
Company.  These  gentlemen  then  foi'med  the  El  Dorado  Oil  Company 
and  drilled  several  wells,  which  were  unsuccessful ;  but  in  the  autumn 
of  1899  they  drilled  a  600'  well,  which  is  said  to  be  productive. 

In  the  spring  of  1899,  McWhorter,  Berry,  Keller  &  Spencer  sublet  40 
acres  to  J.  B.  Treadwell,  who  drilled  a  450'  well.  This  well  was  com- 
pleted in  May,  1899,  and  proved  very  productive.  Subsequently  other 
companies  drilled  in  this  district,  as  hereinafter  noted.  It  is  said  that 
in  this  district  the  oil-sand  has  been  penetrated  for  300'.  In  August, 
1900,  there  were  sixteen  producing  wells  in  the  McKittrick  district, 
and  seven  prospect  wells  were  being  drilled,  not  including  the  wells  in 
the  Temblor  district ;  several  other  wells  were  about  to  be  commenced. 

7.6.4.     The  formations  most  extensively  exposed  in  the  McKittrick 


I 


THE    m'KITTRICK    DISTRICT.  127 

district  are  light-colored  silicious  shales  similar  to  those  seen  in  the 
Sunset  district.  The  outcropping  rocks,  which  represent  the  formations 
resting  on  the  silicious  shales,  are  very  scanty;  they  consist  mainly  of 
porous  silicious  rock  containing  marine  diatoms,  bituminous  sandstones, 
and  clayey  and  sandy  strata.  In  some  places  the  diatomaceous  rocks 
contain  petroleum,  and  in  connection  with  the  bituminous  sandstones 
previously  mentioned,  they  doubtless  constitute  oil-sand  in  the  oil-wells 
at  McKittrick.  The  diatomaceous  rocks  also  contain  a  large  amount  of 
salt.  A  good  exposure  of  these  saline  rocks  may  be  seen  in  the  N.W. 
cor.  of  Sec.  33,  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  where  a  small  canon  extends 
in  a  southwesterly  direction.  During  the  summer,  a  crust  composed 
principally  of  salt  forms  on  the  surface  of  the  saline  rocks.  A  short 
distance  from  the  outcrop  of  the  saline  rocks,  the  sides  of  the  canon  are 
formed  of  soft  sandstone,  the  loose  sandy  surface  of  which  is  in  some 
places  strewn  with  quartzose  pebbles,  fragments  of  silicious  rock,  and  a 
few  marine  shells.  In  1894  the  writer  collected  several  of  these  shells, 
and  two  well-known  forms,  identified  among  them  by  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper 
(see  Bulletin  No.  3),  showed  that  the  formation  overlying  the  light- 
colored  silicious  shales  at  McKittrick  belongs  to  the  Middle  Neocene 
series.  At  McKittrick  there  are  extensive  superficial  deposits  of 
asphaltum,  which  have  exuded  near  the  contact  of  the  silicious  shales 
and  the  Middle  Neocene  formations.  The  dip  of  the  exposed  rocks  at 
McKittrick  is  about  N.  30°  E.,  and  in  many  places  the  rocks  stand  at  a 
very  high  angle,  60°  or  more.  The  strike  of  the  formation  corresponds 
to  that  of  the  oil-line,  which  is  about  N.  60°  W. 

7.6.5.  The  formation  penetrated  by  the  productive  wells  in  the 
McKittrick  district  is  that  portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene  formation 
which  immediately  overlies  the  light-colored  silicious  shales.  The  oil- 
yielding  strata  are  inclined  at  a  very  great  angle,  which  makes  the 
oil-line  a  narrow  one.  It  is  said  that  in  July,  1900,  about  9000  bbls.  of 
oil  were  sold  from  the  McKittrick  field.  The  gravity  of  the  oil  in  this 
field  ranges  from  15°  to  20°  B. 

Following  the  strike  of  the  formation  in  a  northwest  direction  from 
the  oil-wells  south  of  the  McKittrick  railroad  depot,  the  character  of 
the  debris  covering  the  hills  and  occasional  outcropping  ledges  of  rock, 
evidence  the  proximity  of  the  sandstone  and  diatomaceous  rocks.  The 
sandstones  are  frequently  oil-soaked,  and  seepages  of  maltha  may  be 
seen  in  nearly  every  canon.  These  features  warrant  the  conclusion 
that  the  source  of  the  oil  and  maltha  is  at  or  near  the  contact  of  the 
sandstone  and  the  diatomaceous  rocks. 

7.6.6.  About  1^  miles  west  of  the  McKittrick  depot  there  is  a  clifl" 
of  light-colored  sedimentary  strata,  some  of  which  are  bituminous  and 
some  interspersed  with  fragments  of  silicious  shale  resembling  the 
silicious  shale  of  the  Lower  Neocene.     In  1894  the  writer  noted  a  vein 


128  CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

of  very  pure  asphaltum  at  the  base  of  this  cliff.  To  the  south  of 
the  stratum  forming  this  cliff  porous  silicious  shales  are  seen,  but  as 
investigation  is  made  in  a  southerly  direction  across  the  strike  of  the 
formation,  the  light-colored  shales  lose  their  porous  character  and 
appear  to  be  indurated  by  silica.  In  a  few  places  there  are  weather- 
vs^orn  masses  of  limestone.  Still  farther  to  the  south  the  light-colored 
shale  is  covered  with  alluvial  soil,  which,  except  in  dry  seasons,  pro- 
duces excellent  pasturage  during  the  spring. 

7.6.7.  About  half  a  mile  by  a  trail  to  the  southeast  of  the  McKit- 
trick  depot,  there  is  a  spring  of  warm  mineral  water,  which  yields 
inflammable  gas  and  a  little  oil.  The  gas  smells  strongly  of  sulphureted 
hydrogen. 

The  asphaltum  deposits  at  Asphalto  are  found  under  two  conditions: 
(1)  as  superficial  deposits  of  impure  asphaltum;  and  (2)  as  veins  of 
asphaltum  in  the  Middle  Neocene  formations.  The  superficial  deposits 
of  asphaltum  have  been  formed  by  exudation  of  heavy  oil;  they  origi- 
nally covered  a  good  many  acres,  and  were  from  1'  to  12'  thick.  This 
asphaltum  varies  greatly  in  quality;  some  of  it  is  brownish  in  color 
and  resembles  ironite.  It  is  frequently  dry  and  powdery,  and  more  or 
less  mixed  with  earth.  The  best  asphaltum  in  these  superficial  beds 
lies  near  the  surface;  in  some  places  it  forms  a  stratum  varying  in 
thickness  from  a  few  inches  to  two  feet  or  more.  This  stratum  consists 
principally  of  a  dull-black,  compact  asphaltum,  but  some  of  it  possesses 
a  pitch-like  luster,  and  here  and  there  it  is  rendered  viscous  by  fluid 
petroleum.  Beneath  the  upper  stratum  the  asphaltum  is  frequently 
impure  and  rotten,  and  interbedded  with  drift.  Attempts  to  mine  and 
refine  this  asphaltum  have  proved  unprofitable. 

7.6.8.  The  principal  asphaltum  mines  are  1^  miles  southeast  of 
McKittrick.  In  these  mines  the  asphaltum  occurs  as  irregular  veins 
and  intrusive  masses  in  the  Middle  Neocene  rocks.  These  veins  are 
from  a  few  inches  to  five  feet  or  more  in  thickness.  In  one  of  the  work- 
ings that  the  writer  examined  in  1894,  the  foot- wall  is  light-colored  clay 
and  the  hanging-wall  soft  sandstone. 

In  a  cut  made  by  miners  who  were  prospecting  for  petroleum  in  the 
N.E.  i  of  Sec.  34,  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  several  strata  of  impure 
asphaltum  1"  to  1'  in  thickness  were  cut  through.  The  asphaltum  was 
found  to  be  interbedded  with  thin  strata  of  light-colored  clay,  sand,  and 
pebbles.  One  of  the  uppermost  strata,  which  is  composed  of  dark-colored 
sand,  is  fossiliferous  and  contains  fresh-water  shells.  These  strata  dip 
N.  80''  E.  at  an  angle  of  about  50°.  In  1894  the  writer  submitted  speci- 
mens of  these  fresh-water  shells  to  Dr.  J,  G.  Cooper,  who  found  them  to 
be  living  forms.  (See  Bulletin  No.  3,  p.  49.)  These  asphaltum  mines 
were  successfully  worked  for  several  years. 

7.6.9.  The  Temblor  Oil-Field  is  about  12  miles  northwest  of  the  rail- 


WELLS   IN    m'kITTRICK    DISTRICT.  129 

road  depot  at  McKittrick,  and  is  considered  a  portion  of  the  McKittrick 
district.  In  August,  1900,  there  were  three  productive  wells  in  this 
field,  and  six  prospect  wells  were  being  drilled.  The  gravity  of  the  oil 
ranges  from  18°  to  20°  B.,  and  the  rocks  penetrated  resemble  the  lower 
portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene  formation  hereinbefore  described. 


CHAPTER  7. 
WELLS  IN  MCKITTRICK  DISTRICT. 

PRODUCING   WELLS. 

7.7.1.  California  Standard  Oil  Company  (of  Oakland;  J.  M.  Merrill, 
president)  has  a  450'  well  and  two  500'  wells  in  the  S.W.  ^  of  Sec.  20, 
T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation:  Asphaltum,  shale,  clay,  and 
sand.  It  is  said  that  in  June,  1900,  the  450'  well  yielded  150  bbls.  of 
oil  a  day  by  pumping,  and  that  one  of  the  500'  wells  yielded  40  bbls.  and 
the  other  75  bbls.  a  day.  Gravity  of  oil,  22°  B.  This  company  has  also 
three  wells  in  Sec.  28,  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.  It  is  said  that  in  July, 
1900,  these  wells  were  about  600'  deep,  with  a  good  showing  of  oil. 
Drilling. 

7.7.2.  Climax  Oil  Company  (of  San  Jose)  has  two  wells  in  the  Tem- 
blor field  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  36,  T.  29  S.,  R.  20  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Forma- 
tion: Soft  shale  and  sandstone.  A  flow  of  oil  was  struck  at  285'.  It  is 
said  that  in  July,  1900,  these  wells  were  producing  30  bbls.  a  day  each. 
Gravity  of  oil,  15°  B.  This  company  has  also  a  producing  well  in  the 
N.E.  i  of  Sec.  29,  T.  29  S.,  R.  20  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.7.3.  El  Dorado  Oil  Company  (of  Bakersfield;  C.  J.  Berry,  president) 
has  a  producing  well  450'  deep  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  29,  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E., 
M.  D.  M.  It  is  said  that  in  June,  1900,  this  well  yielded  50  bbls.  of 
oil  a  day.  Gravity  of  oil,  20°  B.  On  this  quarter-section,  oil  was  struck 
by  the  El  Dorado  Company  in  three  wells,  which  were  unfinished  in 
July,  1900. 

7.7.4.  Giant  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  W.  J.  Dingee,  presi- 
dent) has  two  wells  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  13,  T.  30  S.,  R.  21  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Formation:  Shale,  clay,  and  sandstone.  Oil-sand  was  struck  at  a  depth 
of  700'  and  penetrated  to  a  depth  of  1050'. 

7.7.5.  Kern  River  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  C.  Reise,  presi- 
dent) has  three  wells,  each  800'  deep,  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  13.,  T.  30  S., 
R.  21  E.,  M.  D.  M.  One  of  these  wells  is  a  flowing  well.  In  July,  1900, 
they  were  said  to  yield,  all  told,  about  200  bbls.  a  day  by  pumping. 

7.7.6.  San  Francisco  McKittrick  Oil   Company  has   an  800'  well  in 

9— Bl9  • 


130  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  14,  T.  30  S.,  R.  21  K.,  M.  D.  M.      In  July,  1900,  it 
was  said  to  yield  25  bbls.  a  day. 

7.7.7.  Shamrock  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  J.  W.  Wright, 
president)  has  three  wells  in  the  S.E.  I  of  Sec.  19,  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.^ 
M.  D.  M.  Formation:  Clay,  shale,  and  sandstone.  These  wells  are 
each  about  800'  deep.  Oil-sand  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  about  700'. 
In  July,  1900,  it  was  said  that  each  of  these  wells  would  yield  50  bbls. 
of  oil  a  day  by  pumping. 

7.7.8.  J.  B.  Treadwell  Oil  Company  has  six  wells  in  the  S.E.  5  of 
Sec.  20,  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.  These  wells  range  from  400'  to 
500'  in  depth.  Formation:  Sand  and  shale  impregnated  with  asphaltum. 
It  is  said  that  in  June,  1900,  these  wells  were  pumped  and  yielded,  all 
told,  about  450  bbls.  a  day.     Gravity  of  oil,  about  20°  B. 

THE  TEMBLOR  OIL-FIELD— PRODUCING  WELLS. 

This  district  is  about  12  miles  northwest  of  McKittrick  Station. 

7.7.9.  Climax  Oil  Company  (of  San  Jose;  S.  F,  Lieb,  president)  has 
three  wells  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  36,  T.  29  S.,  R.  20  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In 
well  No.  1  the  following  formation  was  penetrated:  Soft  limestone  to  20'; 
yellow  shale  to  35';  blue  shale  to  100';  brown  shale  to  250',  and  oil-sand 
to  322'.  In  well  No.  2  a  similar  formation  to  that  in  well  No.  1  was 
penetrated  to  a  depth  of  285',  and  then  oil-sand  to  a  depth  of  330'. 
Below  this  depth  the  sand  contained  sulphureted  water.  In  well  No.  3 
the  formation  passed  through  to  a  depth  of  280'  was  similar  to  that 
penetrated  for  the  first  290'  in  well  No.  1,  then  oil-sand  to  a  depth  of 
340'.  The  casing  in  these  wells  is  not  perforated.  Well  No.  2  is  a  flow- 
ing well,  and  yields  about  30  bbls.  of  oil  a  day.  Wells  Nos.  1  and  3 
yield  about  10  l)bls.  of  oil  a  day.  The  gravity  of  these  oils  ranges  from 
about  18°  to  20°  B. 

McKITTRICK   DISTRICT— PROSPECT  WELLS. 

7.7.10.  Bay  City  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  G.  W.  Turner^ 
president)  has  a  well  in  Sec.  22,  T.  32  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  about  12 
miles  from  McKittrick.     Drilling. 

7.7.11.  El  Modelo  Oil  Company  (of  Fresno;  C.  L.  Waters,  president) 
has  a  well  in  Sec.  24,  T.  30  S.,  R.  21  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  July,  1900,  this 
well  was  about  1000'  deep,  with  some  showing  of  oil.     Drilling. 

7.7.12.  Hartford  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  J.  S.  Dillon,  presi- 
dent) has  a  650'  well  in  Sec.  12,  T.  31  S.,  R.  21  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  about  6 
miles  south  of  McKittrick.     Formation,  principally  shale. 

7.7.13.  National  Oil  Company  (W.  C.  Beattie  of  Oakland,  president) 
has  a  well  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  29,  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.  For- 
mation, shale  and  sandstone.     Oil  was  struck  at  1100'.     Drilling. 

7.7.14.  Pacific  Consolidated  Oil  Company  (of  Fresno)  has  a  700'  well 


devil's  den  district.  131 

in  Sec.  2,  T.  31  S.,  R.  21  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  about  15  miles  from  McKittrick. 
It  is  said  that  oil-sand  has  been  struck  in  this  well. 

7.7.15.  Sloan  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles)  has  a  well  in  the  S.E.  ^ 
of  Sec.  20,  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  this  well  a  stratum  of  oil- 
sand  was  struck  at  680',  and  a  second  stratum  at  775'.  Gravity  of  oil, 
20°  B.     Drilling. 

7.7.16.  Virginia  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  J.  W.  Wright, 
president)  has  a  well  in  Sec.  29,  T.  30  S.,  R.  22  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  July, 
1900,  this  well  was  800'  deep,  with  some  showing  of  oil.     Drilling. 

TEMBLOR  OIL-FIELD— PROSPECT  WELLS. 

7.7.17.  Diamond  Oil  Company  (of  San  .Jose)  has  a  well  in  the  N.W.  i 
of  Sec.  11,  T.  29  S.,  R.  21  E.,  M.  D.  M.     Drilling. 

7.7.18.  Eureka  Oil  and  Development  Company  (of  Bakersfield;  A.  J. 
Lightner,  president)  has  a  well  in  Sec.  13,  T.  29  S.,  R.  20  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Formation,  sandstone  and  a  little  shale.  Oil  struck  at  80'.  Gravity, 
10°  B.  This  well  is  being  drilled  with  a  portable  rig,  run  by  a  gasoline 
engine.  It  is  furnished  with  a  steel  cable  carrying  a  string  of  tools 
weighing  1750  lbs.     The  rig  was  designed  by  G.  M.  Bobs  of  Los  Angeles. 

7.7.19.  Gould  &  Center  Oil  Company  has  a  well  near  the  center  of 
Sec.  18,  T.  29  S.,  R.  21  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  July,  1900,  this  well  was  about 
200'  deep,  with  a  good  showing  of  oil. 

7.7.20.  J.  Jameson  (of  Bakersfield)  has  a  well  in  Sec.  31,  T..29  S., 
R.  20  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  August,  1900,  this  well  was  100'  deep.  Forma- 
tion, shale.     Drilling. 

7.7.21.  Nevada  Oil  Company  (of  Bakersfield;  M.  Wagy,  president) 
has  a  well  1000'  deep  near  the  center  of  Sec.  24,  T.  29  S.,  R.  20  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Drilling. 

7.7.22.  Sunrise  Oil  and  Development  Company  (of  San  Jose;  0.  L. 
Baker,  president)  has  a  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  11,  T.  29  S.,  R.  21  E., 
M.  D.  M.  Formation:  Alluvium  and  gravel  to  240';  blue  shale  to  300'; 
soft  sandstone  to  340':  brown  shale  to  410';  sandstone  to  460'.  Some 
gas.     Drilling. 


CHAPTER  8. 

THE  DEVIL'S  DEN  DISTRICT. 

7.8.1.  This  district  adjoins  the  McKittrick  district  on  the  northwest. 
It  embraces  T.  25  S.,  R.  17,  18,  and  19  E.;  T.  26  S.,  R.  17  and  18  E.; 
T.  27  S.,  R.  18  and  19  E.;  T.  28  S.,  R.  19  and  20  E.— all  in  M.  D.  M.;  and 
that  portion  of  T.  27  S.,  R.  18  E.,  lying  east  of  the  western  boundary  of 
Kern  County. 


132  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

7.8.2.  In  this  district,  the  same  sequence  of  formation  was  noticed  as 
that  heretofore  described  as  forming  the  foothills  of  the  Coast  Ranges  on 
the  west  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  viz :  the  Middle  Neocene  sand- 
stones and  shales,  the  silicious  shales  of  the  Lower  Neocene,  and  rocks 
which  in  physical  appearance  resemble  the  Eocene  formations  noted  at 
Coalinga,  in  Fresno  County,  In  August,  1900,  there  were  no  productive 
wells  in  the  Devil's  Den  district,  but  four  companies  were  drilling  pros- 
pect wells.     (See  prospect  wells  in  Devil's  Den  district.) 

PROSPECT  WELLS. 

Only  such  wells  are  mentioned  as  were  drilled,  or  being  drilled,  in 
August,  1900. 

7.8.3.  DeviVs  Den  Development  Company  (of  Visalia;  A.  R.  Orr,  presi- 
dent) has  a  100'  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  22,  T.  25  S.,  R.  19  E., 
M.  D.  M. 

7.8.4.  Imperial  Oil  and  Development  Company  (of  San  Francisco; 
E.  C.  Calvin,  president)  has  a  well  in  Sec.  27,  T.  26  S.,  R.  17  E.,  M.  D.  M., 
about  6  miles  southeast  of  Annette  P.  0. 

7.8.5.  Raven  Pass  Oil  Comjmny  (of  Los  Angeles;  M.  A.  Newmark, 
president)  has  a  well  in  Sec.  23,  T.  26  S.,  R.  17  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Forma- 
tion, sandy  shale.  Well  said  to  be  400'  deep,  with  traces  of  oil.  In 
June,  1900,  this  well  was  unfinished. 

7.8.6.  Spreckels  {R.)  (of  San  Francisco)  has  a  600'  well  in  the  N.W.  i 
of  Sec.  30,  T.  25  S.,  R.  18  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation:  Hard  sandstone 
to  60';  blue  shale  to  160';  hard  stratum  to  165';  black  carbonaceous 
material  to  170';  gas  to  460';  hard,  dark-colored  shale  interstratified 
with  soft  shale  to  500';  and  hard  sandstone  to  560'.  Drilling  in  dark- 
colored  shale. 


CHAPTER  9. 

THE  KREYENHAGEN  DISTRICT. 

7.9.1.  The  Kreyenhagen  district  adjoins  the  Devil's  Den  district  on 
the  north,  and  is  partly  in  Fresno  County  and  partly  in  Kings  County. 
It  embraces  T.  21  S.,  R.  16, 17,  and  18  E.;  T.  22  S.,  R.  16, 17,  and  18  E.; 
T.  23  S.,  R.  16,  17,  and  18  E.;  T.  24  S.,  R.  17  and  18  E.;  and  such  por- 
tions of  T.22  S.,  R.  13, 14,  and  15  E.;  T.  23  S.,  R.  15  and  16  E.;  T.  24  S., 
R.  16  E.,  as  lie  east  of  the  western  boundary  of  Fresno  and  Kings  coun- 
ties—all in  M.  D.  M. 

This  district  includes  the  A  venal  oil-field,  which  extends  as  far  south 
as  the  sixth  standard  line  of  the  Mount  Diablo  meridian,  and  the  Kettle- 
man  Hills,  which  rise  between  Tulare  Lake  and  the  main  foothills  of 


THE    KREYENHAGEN    DISTRICT.  133 

the  Coast  Ranges,  being  separated  from  the  latter  by  the  Kettleman 
Plains. 

7.9.2.  In  the  Avenal  oil-field,  the  Avenal  Land  and  Oil  Company  is 
operating  on  a  ridge  which  rises  to  an  altitude  of  more  than  2000'. 
(See  Avenal  Land  and  Oil  Company.)  In  August,  1900,  this  company 
was  drilling  at  a  point  on  this  ridge  where  it  is  cut  through  by  Tar 
Canon.  In  this  canon  there  are  seepages  of  heavy,  tar-like  oil,  which 
in  one  place  has  formed  a  small  quantity  of  asphaltum.  The  before- 
mentioned  ridge  is  composed  of  shale  and  sandstone,  principally  sand- 
stone, and  some  of  the  sandstone  is  highly  impregnated  with  petroleum. 
These  rocks  dip  about  N.  10°  E.  at  an  angle  of  from  60°  to  75°.  They 
contain  fossils  of  Miocene  age.  (See  Bulletin  No.  8,  and  Table  II  at  the 
end  of  this  volume.)  Some  of  the  strata  are  highly  fossiliferous,  but 
the  fossils  are  in  a  poor  state  of  preservation.  The  formation  composing 
the  ridge  must  be  regarded  as  Lower  Neocene,  and  probably  underlies 
the  light-colored  shales  which  are  here  covered  by  the  Middle  Neocene 
formation.  The  formations  on  the  south  slope  of  this  ridge  show  strata 
of  soft  sandstone  and  sandy  shales.  To  the  north  and  at  the  foot 
of  this  ridge,  the  formation  is  soft  blue  sandstone,  and  the  dip  of  the 
rocks  appears  to  be  more  easterly  and  at  a  somewhat  lower  angle  than 
that  of  the  rocks  forming  the  ridge.  In  1893  the  writer  obtained  a  col- 
lection of  fossils  from  this  sandstone,  which  shows  it  to  belong  to  the 
Middle  Neocene  age.     (See  Bulletin  No.  3,  p.  54.) 

7.9.3.  The  Kettleman  Hills  are  immediately  north  of  the  ridge  on 
which  the  wells  of  the  Avenal  Oil  Company  are  situated.  A  reconnais- 
sance of  these  hills  shows  that  their  more  elevated  portions  are  formed 
of  soft  blue  sandstone,  and  that  their  summits  rise  to  an  altitude  of 
about  1000'.  The  summits  of  these  hills  present  a  rounded,  undulating 
appearance,  while  their  sides  are  furrowed  by  narrow  gulches  and 
ravines  deeply  cut  in  the  comparatively  recent  formations.  Near  the 
summits  of  these  hills  the  blue  sandstone  is  interbedded  with  a  few 
calcareous  strata  containing  fossils  which  represent  the  latter  portion  of 
the  Middle  Neocene  age.     (See  Bulletin  No.  3,  p.  54.) 

7.9.4.  One  of  the  uppermost  strata  on  the  western  slope  of  these  hills 
contains  fresh-water  shells,  but  the  fossiliferous  portion  is  of  no  great 
thickness.  The  fresh-water  shells  obtained  from  this  locality  were  classi- 
fied by  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper,  who  found  that  they  were  mostly  living  forms, 
which  in  point  of  age  ranged  downward  to  the  Pliocene.  (See  Bulletin 
No.  3,  p.  55.)  An  idea  of  the  formation  of  the  western  slope  of  the  Ket- 
tleman Hills  may  be  gathered  from  Fig.  13. 

In  August,  1900,  several  prospect  wells  were  being  drilled  in  the  Ket- 
tleman Hills,  but  the  writer  could  not  learn  that  any  oil  had  been 
struck.     (See  Kettleman  Hills — Prospect  Wells  ) 

7.9.5.  On  the  Kreyenhagen  ranch  there  are  oil-seepages  in  canons 
which  cut  through  rocks  of  similar  appearance  to  those  seen  in  Tar 


134  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

Canon  in  the  Avenal  district.  These  rocks  are  well  exposed  on  the 
south  fork  of  the  Zapato  Chino  Creek,  where  it  breaks  through  the  first 
tier  of  the  higher  foothills.  Some  of  these  rocks  contain  Miocene  fos- 
sils. (See  Bulletin  No.  3,  p.  55.)  It  is  evident  that  these  rocks,  like 
those  of  Tar  Caiion,  must  be  classed  as  belonging  to  the  Lower  Neocene 
formations.  As  seen  on  the  Kreyenhagen  ranch,  they  contain  three 
distinct  strata  of  oil-sand.  The  uppermost  stratum  of  oil-sand  has  a 
heavy  black  oil ;  the  middle  ledge  also  has  a  heavy  oil,  and  the  lower 
ledge  yields  a  peculiar  green  oil  of  high  specific  gravity. 

7.9.6.  In  August,  1900,  there  had  been  or  were  being  drilled  in  the 
Kreyenhagen  district  the  following  wells:  In  the  Avenal  field,  two 
prospect  wells ;  in  the  Kettleman  Hills,  seven  prospect  wells ;  on  the 
Kreyenhagen  ranch,  two  producing  wells  and  five  prospect  wells. 

PRODUCTIVE  WELLS. 

7.9.7.  Black  Mountain  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  E.  R.  Schnei- 
der, president)  has  an  800'  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  33, 
T.  22  S.,  R.  16  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation:  Dark-colored  shale  to  80'; 
white  sand  to  85';  dark  shale  to  400';  light-colored  shale  to  550';  shale 
and  sand  with  oil  to  570';  light-colored  shale  to  640';  oil-sand  to  660'; 
shale  to  700';  oil-sand  to  720'.  Operations  were  suspended  in  order  to 
use  the  oil  for  drilling.  This  comjiany  has  also  a  well  in  the  same  sec- 
tion about  600'  from  well  No.  1.  Formation  resembles  that  in  No.  1. 
Drilling. 

7.9.8.  Kreyenhagen  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  J.  H.  Henderson, 
president)  ha§  two  wells  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  32,  T.  22  S.,  R.  16  E., 
M.  D.  M.  In  one  of  these  wells  the  formation  is  as  follows:  Dark- 
colored  shale  to  400'  (a  water  stratum  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  125', 
and  another  at  400');  dark-colored  shale  to  650';  oil-sand  to  660'.  This 
is  said  to  be  a  15-bbl.  well,  and  yields  a  light-green  oil;  gravity,  38°  B. 
Work  was  suspended  on  this  well  that  it  might  be  a  source  of  fuel  for 
the  other  wells.  The  Kreyenhagen  Oil  Company  has  another  well  1350' 
deep.  The  formation  is  shale,  with  streaks  of  sand  showing  traces  of 
oil  at  1000'  and  1100'  and  water  at  1200'.     Drilling. 

PROSPECT  WELLS. 

7.9.9.  Avenal  Land  and  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  A.  B.  Will- 
iamson, president)  has  two  wells  in  Tar  Canon,  in  the  E.  -5  of  the  E.  ^ 
of  Sec.  18,  T.  23  S.,  R.  17  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  one  of  these  wells  the  for- 
mation is:  Adobe  to  20';  oil-sand  with  water  to  70';  blue  water-sand  to 
140';  clay  to  235';  shale  to  521';  oil-sand  to  555';  shale  to  590';  sand 
showing  traces  of  oil  to  635';  shale  to  802';  blue  clay  to  900';  sand  with 
traces  of  oil  to  984'.  Drilling.  The  other  well  is  a  prospect  well  not 
yet  completed. 

7.9.10.  Bahy  King  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford;    Mr.  Griswell,  presi- 


THE    KREYENHAGEN    DISTRICT.  135 

dent)  has  one  1125'  well  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  11,  T.  23  S.,  R.  16  E., 
M.  D.  M.  Oil  of  30°  B.  specific  gravity  was  struck  at  400';  and  at 
1100'  oil  of  18°  B.  specific  gravity;  a  short  distance  below  this  depth 
flowing  water  was  encountered,  and  the  well  abandoned. 

7.9.11.  Consolidated  Oil  and  Development  Company  (of  Hanford)  has 
two  wells  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  10,  T.  23  S.,  R.  16  E.,  M.  D.  M.  One  of 
these  wells  is  1100'  in  depth.  A  good  showing  of  oil  Avas  obtained  at 
1050'.  The  oil  obtained  from  this  well  is  of  an  amber  color,  and  has  a 
specific  gravity  of  20°  B.     Drilling. 

7.9.12.  Kings  County  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  T.  E.  Lamb, 
president)  has  a  500'  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  the  S.W.  i  of  T.  23  S., 
R.  16  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation:  Black  shale,  blue  sandstone,  and  brown 
sandstone  containing  oil.  This  well  was  abandoned  on  account  of  water. 
This  company  also  has  a  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  the  N.E.  ^  of  Sec.  3,~ 
T.  23  S.,  R.  16  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation:  Clay  and  soil  to  12';  white  shale 
to  29';  black  shale  to  65';  black  sand  to  67';  black  shale  to  90';  hard 
gravel  to  120';  black  shale  to  275';  gravel  to  285';  black  shale  to  410'; 
blue  sand-rock  to  450';  water-sand  to  490';  blue  sand-rock  to  540';  sand 
to  556';  clayey  sandstone  to  600';  black  shale  to  660';  clayey  sandstones 
to  696';  hard  shale  to  720';  hard  rock,  sandstone  predominating,  to  900'. 
Heavy  oil  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  240'.  This  company  has  also  a  well 
140'  deep. 

7.9.13.  St.  Lawrence  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford,  Kings  County)  has  a 
well  in  the  S.E.  i  of  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  12.  It  is  said  that  oil  was 
struck  at  the  bottom  of  the  well. 

KETTLEMAN  HILLS— PROSPECT  WELLS. 

7.9.14.  Esperanza  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford;  D.  L.  Barney,  presi- 
dent) has  two  wells,  one  1100'  deep,  abandoned  on  account  of  water,  and 
one  840'  deep,  operations  suspended.  These  wells  are  in  the  S.W.  ^  of 
Sec.  14,  T.  22  S.,  R.  17  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.9.15.  Florence  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  D.  Donan,  presi- 
dent) has  two  720'  wells  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  15,  T.  22  S.,  R.  17  E., 
M.  D.  M.  In  one  of  these  wells  much  gas  was  struck.  Operations 
suspended.  In  August,  1900,  this  company  was  drilling  a  well  for 
water. 

7.9.16.  Gihhs  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford;  E.  M.  Gibbs,  president)  has 
a  500'  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  28,  T.  21  S.,  R.  17  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Drilling. 

7.9.17.  Iowa  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford;  Louis  Decker,  president)  has 
a  260'  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  4,  T.  22  S.,  R.  17  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.9.18.  Oceanic  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford;  B.  M.  McCray,  president) 
has  a  950'  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  1,  T.  32  S.,  R.  17  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Operations  suspended. 


136  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUEEAU. 

7.9.19.  Stanislaus  Oil  Company  (of  Modesto;  J.  Hewel,  president)  has 
a  600'  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  4,  T.  22  S.,  R.  17  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.9.20.  Stockton  Oil  Company  (of  Stockton,  San  Joaquin  County)  has 
a  670'  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  30,  T.  22  S.,  R.  18  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Opera- 
tions suspended. 


CHAPTER    10. 

THE  COALINGA  DISTRICT. 

7.10.1.  This  district  adjoins  the  Kreyenhagen  district  on  the  north. 
It  embraces  T.  21  S.,  R.  14  and  15  E.;  T.  20  S.,  R.  13,  14,  and  15  E.; 
T.  19  S.,  R.  13,  14,  and  15  E.,  all  in  M.  D.  M.;  also  such  portions  of 
T.  21  8.,  R.  12  and  13  E.;  T.  20  S.,  R.  12  E.;  and  T.  19  S.,  R.  12  E., 
M.  D.  M.,  as  lie  east  of  the  western  boundary  of  Fresno  County.  Except 
in  one  instance,  all  the  development  and  prospect  work  in  this  district 
is  north  of  the  south  branch  of  Los  Gatos  Creek,  locally  known  as 
Alcalde  Creek.  In  the  Coalinga  district  oil-mining  has  been  carried  on 
in  two  fields:  In  the  Oil  City  field,  which  lies  to  the  north  of  the  north 
fork  of  Los  Gatos  Creek,  and  in  the  Alcalde  field,  which  lies  between 
Alcalde  Creek  and  the  north  fork  of  Los  Gatos  Creek. 

7.10.2.  The  most  important  of  these  fields  is  the  Oil  City,  about  9 
miles  north  of  Coalinga  railroad  depot  on  the  S.  P.  R.  R.  (See  Photo 
No.  32.)  In  this  field  the  exposed  formations  range  from  the  upper 
portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene  to  that  of  the  Eocene  or  Tejon  (Cretace- 
ous B,  according  to  the  old  nomenclature).  A  general  idea  as  to  the 
relation  of  these  two  formations  may  be  gathered  by  an  inspection  of 
Fig.  L  (see  atlas),  which  shows  a  ground  plan  of  a  portion  of  the  terri- 
tory, and  of  Fig.  14,  which  is  a  cross-section  drawn  through  the  Oil 
City  field  in  a  direction  of  S.  50°  E.  As  therein  shown,  the  lowermost 
formation  consists  of  hard  sandstone  containing  numerous  concre- 
tions. This  sandstone  is  overlain  by  dark-colored  shales  and  sand- 
stone containing  Eocene  fossils.  Some  of  the  strata  of  sandstone 
interbedded  with  the  dark-colored  shales  yield  an  oil  of  low  specific 
gravity,  and  have  proved  very  productive.  The  shales  and  con- 
cretionary sandstone  on  which  they  rest  are  of  Eocene  (Tejon) 
age.  Resting  non-conformably  on  the  Eocene  rocks  is  a  light- 
colored  silicious  shale,  hereinbefore  mentioned  as  belonging  to  the 
Lower  Neocene  series.  Seepages  of  heavy,  tar-like  oil  issue  from  this 
shale,  and  in  some  places  form  beds  of  asphaltum.  In  some  of  the 
wells  in  this  vicinity  an  oil  of  18°  B.,  apparently  from  oil-sand  in  this 
formation,  has  been  obtained.  The  only  fossils  found  in  the  shales  at 
Coalinga  were  Pecten  yechhami  (a  Lower  Neocene  fossil),  a  few  fish 


PHOTO  31.    McKiTTRicK  Oil-Field,  Keen  County. 


PHOTO  32.    Oil  City,  Fresno  County 


THE    COALINGA    DISTRICT.  137 

bones,  and  marine  diatoms.  The  light-colored  shale  is  very  much  con- 
torted, and  the  exposed  rocks  for  the  most  part  stand  at  a  greater  angle 
than  do  the  underlying  or  overlying  rocks.  Resting  non-conformably 
on  the  light-colored  shales  (see  Bulletin  No.  3)  is  a  series  of  sandstones 
and  shales,  sandstone  predominating.  This  series  contains  numerous 
fossils,  and  represents  the  Middle  Neocene  formation.  In  most  places  it 
dips  to  the  east  of  south  at  an  angle  of  less  than  25°.  In  this  formation, 
immediately  overlying  the  silicious  shales,  are  strata  of  oil-sand,  beds 
of  gypsum  which  at  one  time  were  mined,  and  diatomaceous  rocks 
impregnated  with  petroleum,  the  last  named  resembling  the  diatoma- 
ceous rocks  seen  at  McKittrick,  in  Kern  County.  These  rocks  contain 
Miocene  and  Pliocene  fossils.  Higher  up  in  the  series  are  sandy  forma- 
tions containing  beds  of  Ostrea  titan,  Liropecten,  and  Tamiosoma.  Still 
higher  up  are  dark-colored  sands  containing  petrified  wood.  The  upper 
portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene  formations  in  this  locality  is  characterized 
by  a  soft  bluish  sandstone  and  fine  conglomerate  containing  fossils  of 
Middle  Neocene  age.  The  soft  bluish  sandstone  dips  east  of  north  at 
an  angle  of  10°  to  15°. 

7.10.3.  The  first  well  in  the  Oil  City  field  was  drilled  about  1890. 
It  was  163'  deep,  penetrated  dark-colored  shale  and  soft  sandstone, 
and  yielded  a  little  green  oil  and  much  gas.  A  windmill  pump  was 
attached  to  this  well,  and  20  bbls.  of  oil  were  pumped  from  it  in  two 
days.     The  third  day  it  yielded  7  bbls. 

In  1891-92  four  wells  were  drilled  by  Messrs.  Rowland  &  Lacy  of  Los 
Angeles.  In  one  of  these  ( a  4"  well ) ,  which  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  400', 
the  formation  penetrated  is  soft  dark-colored  shale  and  soft  sandstone. 
This  well  was  tested  by  pumping,  and  yielded  about  9  bbls.  of  oil  daily. 
The  other  wells  were  never  pumped. 

When  the  locality  of  which  Oil  City  is  now  the  center  was  visited  by 
the  writer  in  1893,  he  found  five  wells — one  a  4"  well  in  which  an  oil  of 
low  specific  gravity  stood  within  32'  of  the  surface,  and  in  which 
inflammable  gas  bubbled  freely  through  the  oil  (see  table  of  oil  analyses. 
Part  2,  Chapter  3);  one  a  4"  well,  plugged;  one  a  7"  well,  plugged;  one 
a  10"  well,  plugged;  one  a  14"  well,  from  which  oil  and  water  flowed  and 
from  which  inflammable  gas  was  rising.  The  last  named  well  was  burn- 
ing fiercely,  and  a  small  stream  of  mineral  water  and  oil  flowed  from 
the  top  of  the  casing. 

In  1895,  the  Producers  and  Consumers  Oil  Company  of  Selma  was 
organized  by  J.  A.  McClurg  and  others.  They  sunk  a  695'  well  and  a 
700'  well  on  Sec.  20,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  a  short  distance  south- 
east of  the  wells  of  Rowland  &  Lacy.  The  two  wells  sunk  by  McClurg 
&  Co.  yielded  15  bbls.  and  20  bbls.  of  oil  a  day  respectively.  The  gravity 
of  the  oil  was  34°  B. 

In  1896,  Chanselor  &  Canfield  commenced  drilling  in  Sec.  17,  T.  19  S., 


138  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING   BUREAU. 

R.  15  E,,  M.  D.  M.  They  drilled  two  or  three  wells  which  were 
small  producers.  In  this  year  (1896)  Chanselor  &  Canfield  leased  the 
territory  of  the  Producers  and  Consumers  Oil  Company  in  the  N.W.  ^ 
of  Sec.  20,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  They  then  drilled  a  well  about 
300'  east  of  the  old  wells,  and  struck  oil-sand  at  a  depth  of  890'.  This 
was  a  flowing  well  and  yielded  about  300  bbls.  of  oil  a  day. 

In  1897,  the  Home  Oil  Company,  of  Selma,  was  organized  by  G.  W. 
Terrill  and  others.  This  company  drilled  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  20, 
T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  The  wells  drilled  ranged  from  900'  to  1700' 
in  depth,  and  were  farther  down  the  dip  of  the  formation  than  other 
wells  drilled  in  the  Oil  City  field  at  that  time.  The  third  well  drilled 
by  this  company  is  the  Blue  Goose,  which  is  1400'  deep;  this  well  was 
completed  in  1898,  and  is  a  flowing  well,  which  is  said  to  have  produced 
from  500  to  1000  bbls.  of  oil  a  day.  In  August,  1900,  it  was  stated  that 
this  well  flowed  at  the  rate  of  250  bbls.  in  twenty-four  hours. 

In  1899,  many  other  companies  commenced  operations  in  the  Oil  City 
field,  but  without  success. 

In  1900,  the  exploitations  were  carried  on  farther  to  the  east.  In  the 
Middle  Neocene  formations  overlying  the  silicious  light-colored  shales, 
some  of  these  wells  have  proved  very  successful. 

7.10.4.  During  the  early  development  of  the  Oil  City  field,  much 
inconvenience  was  experienced  through  lack  of  water.  In  1899,  J.  A. 
McClurg  sunk  two  275'  wells  in  the  valley  land  about  6  miles  south- 
west of  Oil  City.  The  formation  is:  Drift  to  200';  water  gravel 
to  212';  tough  clay  to  275'.  The  water  rose  about  5'  in  the  casing. 
These  wells  yield  an  immense  supply.  Two  4"  steam  pumps  are  being 
used  to  pump  the  water  into  the  receiving  tank.  A  duplex  Dow  pump, 
having  a  capacity  of  more  than  15,000  gallons  in  twelve  hours,  forces 
the  water  through  6  miles  of  3"  pipe  to  an  elevation  of  275'  above  the 
top  of  the  wells.  The  oil-field  consumes  about  15,000  bbls.  of  water 
every  twenty-four  hours.     This  is  potable  water,  and  rather  hard. 

7.10.5.  The  output  of  petroleum  from  the  Oil  City  field  during  1899 
Avas  439,372  bbls.  The  oil  is  conveyed  by  pipe-line  from  Oil  City  to  Ora 
Station  on  the  S.  P.  R.  R.,  a  distance  of  8^  miles.     (See  Pipe-lines.) 

THE  ALCALDE  FIELD. 

7.10.6.  This  field  is  about  3  miles  southwest  of  Coalinga,  and  extends 
from  the  old  coal  mines,  which  are  about  4  miles  a  little  west  of  north 
from  Coalinga,  to  Alcalde  Creek.  The  petroleum  claims  on  which  pros- 
pect wells  have  been  drilled  are  situated  in  the  first  two  tiers  of  foothills 
which  run  in  a  southeasterly  direction  from  the  old  coal  mines.  These 
foothills  are  for  the  most  part  formed  of  sandstone  containing  fossils  of 
the  Middle  Neocene  age.  (See  Bulletin  No.  3,  pp.  58-59.)  It  is  con- 
ceded that  these  Neocene  rocks  lie  non-conformably  on  the  Eocene, 
although  the  dip  of  the  two  formations  is  about  the  same.     No  white 


THE    COALINGA    DISTRICT.  139 

shale  is  seen  between  the  Eocene  and  Middle  Neocene  formations  in  this 
locality,  except  a  slight  outcrop  near  the  San  Joaquin  coal  mine.  In 
1893  the  writer  obtained  a  small  collection  of  fossils  from  the  San 
Joaquin  and  California  coal  mines,  which  demonstrates  that' the  forma- 
tions of  these  mines  are  of  the  Eocene  age  (Cretaceous  B,  according  to 
the  old  nomenclature).     (See  Bulletin  No.  3,  pp.  57-58.) 

The  outcropping  rocks  belonging  to  the  Middle  Neocene  formations 
are  principally  sandstones  with  a  little  shale  and  conglomerate,  the  pre- 
vailing dip  being  about  N.  70°  E.  Several  brine  and  sulphur  springs 
issue  from  this  formation,  and  at  one  point  there  is  a  spring  of  tar-like 
oil.  In  1893  the  writer  visited  the  San  Joaquin  coal  mine  (one  of  the 
coal  mines  in  this  locality)  and  saw  a  small  quantity  of  oil  of  medium 
gravity  bailed  from  one  of  the  workings.  There  are  no  productive  wells 
in  the  Alcalde  district,  but  in  August,  1900,  ten  prospect  wells  had  been, 
or  were  being,  drilled. 

OIL  CITY  FIELD— PRODUCING  WELLS. 

Only  such  wells  are  mentioned  as  were  producing  in  August,  1900. 

7.10.7.  Coalmga  Oil  Company  (of  Coalinga;  C.  A.  Canfield,  president) 
has  fifteen  wells  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  20,  and  four  wells  on  the  S.  i  of 
Sec.  17,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  The  wells  on  Sec.  20  range  from 
300'  to  1450'  in  depth,  and  produce  from  1  to  200  bbls.  of  oil  a  day.  The 
formation  is  blue  shale  until  oil-sand  is  struck  at  the  bottom  of  the  well. 
The  oil-sand  ranges  from  2'  to  80'  in  thickness.  The  wells  on  Sec.  17 
range  from  300'  to  600'  in  depth,  and  it  is  said  that  they  appear  to  be 
near  the  edge  of  oil-sand.  They  are  small  producers.  The  oil  obtained 
from  the  wells  on  Sees.  17  and  20  has  a  gravity  of  about  33.3°  B. 

7.10.8.  Home  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  R.  A.  Clark,  president) 
has  five  wells,  varying  in  depth  from  1100'  to  1680'.  The  formation  is 
dark-colored  shale  and  oil-sand.  These  wells  yield  from  20  to  250  bbls. 
of  oil  a  day.  Specific  gravity  of  oil,  33.3°  B.  No.  3  of  this  group  is  the 
original  Blue  Goose  well,  which  has  proved  such  a  bonanza.  In  August? 
1900,  this  company  was  drilling  two  new  wells,  which  were  then  500' 
and  1200'  deep,  respectively. 

7.10.9.  Independence  Oil  Company  (  of  Fresno)  has  three  wells,  vary- 
ing in  depth  from  800'  to  1000',  in  the  S.W.  i  of  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  28, 
T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation,  shale  and  sandstone.  These 
wells  are  said  to  yield  more  than  5  bbls.  a  day  each.  Gravity  of  oil, 
22°  B.     This  is  a  brown  oil. 

7.10.10.  Oil  City  Petroleum  Company  (J.  T.  G.  Hart,  president)  has 
a  450'  well  in  the  W.  \  of  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  28,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E., 
M.  D.  M.,  and  three  wells  in  the  S.E.  i  of  the  same  section.  These  wells 
range  from  800'  to  950'  in  depth.  They  yield  about  40  bbls.  of  oil  a  day. 
Specific  gravity  of  oil,  about  22°  B.  The  formation  is  sandstone  and 
shale. 


140  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

7.10.11.  Phoenix  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford;  P.  McRae,  president)  has 
a  330'  well  and  a  560'  well  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  20,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E., 
M.  D.  M.  The  formation  in  the  deeper  of  these  wells  is  as  follows 
Pink  shale  to  300';  sand  with  water  to  330';  dark-colored  shale  to  420' 
sand,  with  sulphur,  water,  and  oil,  to  440';  dark-colored  shale  to  500' 
white  clay-shale  to  520';  oil-sand  to  535';  shale  to  540';  white  shale  to 
560';  oil-sand  to  575'.  It  is  said  that  this  well  yields  50  bbls.  of  oil  a 
day.  Specific  gravity,  18°  B.  In  the  shallower  well  the  oil-sand  was 
struck  at  a  less  depth,  but  the  well  yields  only  25  bbls.  of  oil  a  day- 
Specific  gravity  of  the  oil  is  14°  B. 

7.10.12.  Twenty-eight  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford)  has  a  1000'  well  in 
the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  28,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  It  is  said  that  this 
well  yields  about  50  bbls.  of  oil  a  day.  Gravity  of  oil,  22°  B.  This  is 
a  brown  oil.     Formation,  shale  and  soft  sandstone. 

OIL  CITY  FIELD— PROSPECT  WELLS. 

7.10.13.  ^Etna  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco)  has  a  900'  well  in 
the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  31,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation,  mostly 
shale.     Abandoned. 

7.10.14.  Blue  Goose  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  W.  H.  Gray, 
manager)  has  a  1600'  well  in  the  E.  \  of  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  20,  T.  19  S., 
R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.     Formation,  dark-colored  shale.     Drilling. 

7.10.15.  Bonanza  King  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco  ;  Mr.  Hotal- 
ing,  president)  has  a  1300'  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  10,  T.  19  S., 
R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.     Formation,  shale  and  water-sand. 

7.10.16.  California  Oil  and  Gas  Company  (of  Coalinga;  W.  Graham, 
president)  has  a  well  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  19,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Formation,  principally  shale.  This  company  has  also  a  well  in  the 
S.W.  i  of  Sec.  20.     Abandoned. 

7.10.17.  Caribou  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford;  C.  C.  Spinks,  president) 
has  a  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  22,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  For- 
mation, dark-colored  shale  and  oil-sand. 

7.10.18.  Carmelita  Oil  Company  has  commenced  drilling  in  the  W.  ^ 
of  the  E.  i  of  Sec.  3,  T.  20  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.10.19.  Confidence  Oil  Company  (of  Fresno;  F.  Clarey  of  Coalinga, 
manager)  has  a  900'  well  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  25,  T.  19  S.,  R.  4  E., 
M.  D.  M.  Formation,  dark-colored  shale.  Drilling  tools  lost  in  the 
well.  Abandoned.  This  company  has  also  a  300'  well  in  the  N.W.  i 
of  Sec.  31,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

7.10.20.  Crescent,  Oil  Company  has  a  900'  well  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec. 
20,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation,  light-colored  shale. 
Abandoned. 

7.10.21.  Elk  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford;  E.  E.  Bush,  president)  has  a 
500'  well  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  22,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Forma- 
tion, shale  and  much  water. 


THE    COALINGA    DISTRICT.  141 

7.10.22.  Great  Western  Oil  Company  (G.  W.  McNear,  president)  has 
an  1150'  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  26,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Formation,  shale  and  sandstone,  with  much  water. 

7.10.23.  Independent  Oil  Company  has  a  1580'  well  on  the  N.E.  ^  of 
Sec.  17,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation,  dark-colored  shale 
and  sandstone,  flowing  water,  and  a  little  oil.     Abandoned. 

7.10.24.  Investment  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  E.  B.  Pond, 
president)  has  an  1800'  well  in  the  S.E.  \  of  Sec.  16,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E., 
M.  D.  M.     Formation,  dark-colored  shale.     Drilling. 

7.10.25.  Minnesota  Oil  Company  (of  Fresno,  CaL,  and  Duluth,  Minn.; 
J.  A.  McClurg,  president)  has  a  600'  well  in  the  N.E.  \  of  Sec.  23,  T.  19  S., 
R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.     Formation,  sandstone  and  blue  shale.     Drilling. 

7.10.26.  Montjack  Oil  Company  (of  Hanford;  E.  E.  Bush,  president) 
has  a  500'  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  22,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Tools  lost.     Not  completed. 

7.10.27.  Mutual  Oil  Company  hsis  an  1800'  well  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec. 
20,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.     Abandoned. 

7.10.28.  Neio  York  Oil  Company  (of  Coalinga;  L.  L.  Cory,  president) 
has  a  2080'  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  20,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Formation,  shale. 

7.10.29.  Old  Keystone  Oil  Company  (of  Santa  Paula,  Ventura  County; 
Lyman  Stewart,  president)  has  an  1150'  well  on  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  8, 
T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation,  dark-colored  shale,  with  small 
quantity  of  oil.  Abandoned.  This  company  has  also  a  1200'  well  on 
Sec.  4,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.     Drilling". 

7.10.30.  Rock  Oil  Company  has  a  700'  well  in  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  28, 
T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.     Formation,  shale  and  sandstone.     Drilling. 

7.10.31.  Santa  Clara  Oil  Company  has  a  900'  well  in  a  fraction  on 
the  west  side  of  Sec.  80,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Abandoned  on 
account  of  water. 

7.10.32.  The  Selma  Oil  Company  (J.  A.  McClurg,  president)  has  an 
1888'  well  in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  20,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  For- 
mation: Sandstone  to  340',  then  dark-colored  shale  to  within  70'  of  the 
bottom  of  the  well,  at  which  depth  oil-sand  was  struck.     Abandoned. 

7.10.33.  Wisconsin  Oil  Company  (of  Superior,  Wisconsin;  J.  M.  Smith, 
president)  has  a  400'  well  in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  32,  T.  19  S.,  R.  15  E., 
M.  D.  M.     Formation,  principally  sandstone.     Drilling. 

ALCALDE  OIL  FIELD— PROSPECT  WELLS. 

The  following  records  were  obtained  in  August,  1900: 
7.10-34.  Badger  State  Oil  Company  (of  Duluth,  Minn.;  P.  G.  Hart  of 
Fresno,  president)  has  a  TOO'  well  near  the  center  of  Sec.  1,  T.  21  S., 
R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.  The  formation  is  similar  to  that  noted  at  the  Sunny- 
side  wells.  This  well  was  abandoned  on  account  of  water  and  running 
sand. 


142  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

7.10.35.  Havjkeye  State  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles)  has  two  wells 
in  Sec.  6.  One  of  these  is  500'  deep,  and  is  being  drilled  still  deeper. 
It  is  said  that  oil-sand  has  been  struck  in  one  of  the  wells;  the  other 
well  is  abandoned. 

7.10.36.  May  Brothers  (of  Coalinga,  Fresno  County)  have  a  970'  well 
in  the  S.E.  i  of  Sec.  14,  T.  20  S.,  R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.  The  formation  is 
blue  shale.  At  900'  a  small  quantity  of  light  oil  was  struck  in  a  thin 
stratum  of  oil-sand.     Abandoned. 

7.10.37.  Rommel  &  Westlake  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles)  has  a  well 
in  the  N.E.  i  of  Sec.  2,  T.  21  S.,  R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.     Work  suspended. 

7.10.38.  Star  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  G.  W.  Terrill,  presi- 
dent) has  a  650'  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  34,  T.  19  S.,  R.  1 5  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Formation,  principally  blue  shale. 

7.10.39.  Sunny  side  Oil  Company  (of  West  Virginia;  J.  A.  McClurg 
of  Coalinga,  president)  has  a  654'  well  in  the  S.E.  ^  of  Sec.  35,  T.  20  S., 
R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation:  Sandstone  to  40';  dark-colored  shale, 
with  oil,  to  75';  oil-sand  to  110'  (this  oil  had  a  specific  gravity  of  25°  B.) ; 
then  a  stratum  of  hard  sandstone,  and  a  thick  stratum  of  running 
sand  with  good  water  to  654'.  This  company  has  also  a  256'  well  and 
a  312'  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  1,  T.  21  S.,  R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In 
these  wells  a  formation  similar  to  that  noted  in  the  well  in  Sec.  35  was 
penetrated,  but  the  oil-sand  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  256'  and  312', 
respectively.  The  oil-sand  was  penetrated  for  about  20'.  It  is  said  that 
these  wells  would  produce  about  3  bbls.  of  green  oil  a  day,  which  has  a 
specific  gravity  of  24°  B. 

7.10.40.  Wright  Association  (of  Downey,  Los  Angeles  County;  W.  W. 
Wright,  president)  has  a  900'  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  26,  T.  20  S., 
R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.  This-  well  is  about  200'  north  of  the  Whittier  & 
Green  well.     It  was  abandoned  on  account  of  water. 

WARTHAM  CREEK  FIELD. 

7.10.41.  Venus  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  J.  Greenbaum,  presi- 
dent) has  an  850'  well  in  the  N.W.  i  of  Sec.  5,  T.  22  S.,  R.  14  W., 
M.  D.  M.  Formation,  slaty  shale,  with  traces  of  oil  of  high  specific 
gravity.     Drilling. 

7.10.42.  Wale  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles)  has  a  700' well  in  Sec.  4, 
T.  22  S.,  R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Some  oil  was  struck,  but  the  well  was 
abandoned  on  account  of  water  and  quicksand. 


MONTEREY    COUNTY.  143 


P^A^HT  8. 


MONTEREY,  SAN  LUIS  OBISPO,  AND   SAN  BENITO 

COUNTIES. 


CHAPTER  1. 
MONTEREY  COUNTY. 

THE  OIL-YIELDING  FORMATIONS. 
By  H.  W.  Fairbanks,  Ph.D. 

8.1.1.  The  geological  conditions  of  Monterey  County  with  reference 
to  oil  are  in  many  respects  quite  similar  to  those  of  San  Luis  Obispo 
County,  which  adjoins  it  on  the  south.  (See  San  Luis  Obispo  County.) 
The  same  formations  that  are  found  in  the  latter  county  extend  north- 
westerly into  Monterey.  In  recent  months  much  attention  has  been 
given  to  the  oil-producing  shales  of  this  county,  particularly  in  that 
region  lying  along  the  western  side  of  the  Salinas  Valley,  and  in  the 
southeastern  portion  occupied  by  the  Cholame  Valley.  The  following 
notes  will  deal  particularly  with  the  western  portion  of  the  county. 

In  the  western  part  of  the  county  the  oil-yielding  formations  are  con- 
fined to  the  strip  of  territory  lying  between  the  summit  of  the  Santa 
Lucia  range  and  the  Salinas  River.  These  formations  probably  extend 
under  the  Salinas  Valley  in  the  direction  of  Cholame,  but  are  separated 
from  that  valley  by  a  low  ridge  of  older  rocks.  At  the  southern  edge  of 
the  county  the  flinty  organic  shales  of  the  oil-producing  formation  form 
low  hills,  through  which  the  San  Antonio  River  flows  to  join  the  Salinas. 
As  we  continue  northward  between  the  San  Antonio  and  the  Salinas 
rivers  we  find  a  broad  zone  of  low  hills  called  the  San  Antonio  Hills. 
These  hills,  as  well  as  the  region  occupied  by  the  San  Antonio  Valley, 
are  formed  of  the  same  oil-producing  shales.  North  and  northwest  of 
Jolon  these  rocks  rise  to  form  the  more  rugged  mountains  grouped  about 
Santa  Lucia  Peak.  A  broad  reach  of  mountainous  country  formed  of  the 
shales  extends  northerly  to  the  valley  of  the  Arroyo  Seco  and  thence 
over  a  low  divide  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Carmelo  River.  In  the  latter 
region  the  shales  form  a  long  trough  inclosed  between  the  Santa  Lucia 
range  and  the  Soledad  Hills.  The  shales  continue  almost  unbroken 
down  the  valley  of  the  Carmelo  River  to  the  ocean.  The  writer  is  not 
aware  that  any  oil  has  been  found  in  this  region. 


144  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

Although  the  oil-producing  rocks  are  thus  seen  to  be  very  extensive 
in  Monterey  County,  indications  of  the  presence  of  oil  are  not  as  prom- 
inent as  farther  south.  There  are,  however,  a  number  of  promising  local- 
ities. At  the  point  where  the  San  Antonio  River  cuts  through  the  hills 
to  join  the  Salinas,  there  is  an  extensive  bed  of  oil-sand  or  bituminous 
rock.  This  may  be  traced  for  about  a  mile,  and  is  fully  200'  thick  in 
places.  The  oil,  as  it  issued  from  the  shales,  has  here  been  preserved  in 
a  bed  of  sandstone  at  the  base  of  the  San  Pablo  formation.  The  extent 
of  the  latter  formation  and  the  presence  of  porous  sandstones  at  its  base 
condition,  in  large  measure,  the  extent  and  value  of  the  oil-deposits  of 
this  section,  as  is  the  case  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County.  Farther  north* 
along  the  eastern  slope  of  the  San  Antonio  Hills,  in  the  vicinity  of  San 
Lucas,  other  indications  are  reported,  and  it  is  these  that  form  the  basis 
of  the  drilling  now  going  on  in  the  latter  region.  Seepages  are  also 
reported  from  one  of  the  southern  branches  of  the  Arroyo  Seco. 

Six  miles  west  of  Bradley  a  well  is  now  being  drilled  with  the  expec- 
tation of  testing  a  portion  of  the  oil-sands  first  described.  Near  San 
Lucas,  one  well  has  been  drilled  with  negative  results. 

In  selecting  locations  for  wells  in  this  region,  the  greatest  care  should 
be  exercised  in  studying  the  peculiarities  of  the  formations  present.  It 
should  be  recognized  that  the  oil-sands  are  not  a  part  of  the  flinty 
shales,  the  oil-producing  formation,  but  that  they  lie  at  the  base  of  a 
younger  formation  overlying  the  former.  Faulting  and  folding  have 
affected  this  younger  formation,  and  these  conditions  must  be  taken  into 
account.     Wells  drilled  in  the  flinty  shales  are  doomed  to  be  dry. 

THE  PARKFIELD  DISTRICT. 

By  W.  L.  Watts. 

8.L2.  The  Parkfield  district  embraces  T.  23  S.,  R.  13  E.,  and  that 
portion  of  T.  22  S.,  R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  which  lies  west  of  the  Fresno  County 
line.  In  this  district  the  greatest  interest  has  been  centered  in  the  Little 
Cholame  Valley.  On  the  east  side  of  this  valley  the  main  ridge  of  the 
Coast  Ranges  rises  to  an  elevation  of  nearly  4000'.  The  axial  rocks  of 
this  ridge  are  granite.  In  some  places  the  granite  is  overlain  by  meta- 
morphic  sedimentary  formations,  and  in  others  by  unaltered  Tertiary 
rocks.  In  the  Parkfield  district  the  Tertiary  system  is  well  represented. 
In  Stone's  Cailon  are  coal-bearing  rocks,  presumably  of  Eocene  age.  At 
several  places  in  the  Little  Cholame  Valley,  silicious  shales,  character- 
istic of  the  Lower  Neocene  series,  are  found;  they  are  also  met  with 
higher  up  on  the  mountain  range,  where  they  rest  on  the  granite.  In  by 
far  the  greater  portion  of  Cholame  Valley  the  exposed  rocks  are  shales 
and  sandstones  belonging  to  the  Middle  Neocene  series.  At  several 
places  in  the  Little  Cholame  Valley  there  are  seepages  of  petroleum 
issuing  from  rocks  belonging  to  the  Middle  Neocene  series,  and  strata 


MONTEKEY    COUNTY.  145 

of  oil-sand  are  exposed.  At  one  point  on  the  Big  Sandy  Creek  oil  of  low 
specific  gravity  issues  from  a  narrow  strip  of  sedimentary  rocks.  Toward 
the  north,  these  unaltered  sedimentary  formations  are  in  contact  with  a 
bed  of  metamorphic  sedimentary  rocks  and  serpentine,  and  toward  the 
south  with  granite;  the  latter  is  for  the  most  part  covered  with  sedi- 
mentary formations,  probably  of  Neocene  age.  The  granitic  rocks  form 
the  axis  of  a  fold  which  extends  through  the  upper  portion  of  the  Big 
Sandy  and  Cholame  creeks.  In  most  places  where  the  granitic  rocks 
crop  out,  they  are  much  decomposed  and  might  easily  be  mistaken  for 
sandstone.  In  September,  1900,  the  following  companies  were  operat- 
ing in  the  Parkfield  district: 

8.1.3.  Cholame  Valley  Oil  and  Development  Company  (Captain  Frank 
Barrett  of  Palo  Alto,  manager)  has  four  wells  in  Sec.  31,  T.  22  S., 
R.  14  E.,  and  Sec.  5,  T.  23  S.,  R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.  One  well  was  drilled 
950'  through  shale,  rotten  sand,  and  granite ;  a  small  amount  of  oil 
(gravity,  20°  B.)  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  130'.  The  three  other  wells 
in  like  formation  had  a  depth  of  800',  200',  and  200',  respectively. 
Abandoned. 

8.1.4.  Parkfield  Oil  Company  (Captain  Frank  Barrett  of  Palo  Alto, 
manager)  has  a  well  about  100'  deep  in  Sec.  16,  T.  23  S.,  R.  14  E., 
M.  D.  M.     Abandoned. 

8.1.5.  Waverly  Oil  Company  (Charles  King  of  Hanford,  president) 
has  a  well  in  Sec.  32,  T.  22  S.,  R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.  At  350'  sand  and  a 
little  gas  were  encountered;  at  700' and  800' from  18"  to  2' of  lime  "shells" 
were  penetrated;  below  that  depth  the  formation  is  black  shale.  This 
well  is  1100'  distant  from  the  croppings  of  light-gray  sand,  and  1700' 
east  of  a  granite  ledge  which  has  a  strike  of  west  of  north. 

THE  SAN  ARDO  DISTRICT. 

8.1.6.  This  district  includes  that  portion  of  the  drainage  basin  of 
the  Salinas  River  and  its  tributaries  which  lies  between  the  5th  and 
6th  standard  lines  south  of  Mount  Diablo.  In  September,  1900,  the 
following  companies  were  operating  in  this  district: 

8.1.7.  Tomboy  Oil  and  Improvement  Company  (of  San  Francisco)  has 
one  well  in  Sec.  19,  T.  22  S.,  R.  10  E.,  M.  D.  M. 

8.1.8.  San  Antonio  Oil  Company  (Seth  Mann  of  San  Francisco, 
president).  In  October,  1900,  this  company  was  drilling  on  lands  in 
Sees.  20,  29,  and  30,  T.  22  S.,  R.  10  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Salinas  River  about  2  miles  southwest  of  the  town  of  San  Ardo. 

8.1.9.  San  Ardo  Consolidated  Oil  Company  (G.  W.  Fletcher  of  San 
Francisco,  president).  The  territory  of  this  company  is  in  San  Ardo  dis- 
trict, in  Sec.  12,  T.  22  S.,  R.  9  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  and  Sec.  7,  T.  22  S.,  R.  10  E., 
M.  D.  M.  One  well;  formation,  soil  to  50';  water-sand  to  100';  sandy 
shale  to  200';  coarse  gray  sand,  gravel  and  bowlders,  and  sandy  shale 

10— Bl9 


146  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

interbedded  with  oil-sand  to  450';  hard  shells  and  shale  to  500';  oil  was 
struck  between  the  depths  of  560'  and  630';  below  that  depth  the 
formation  is  oil-sand  and  shale  to  846'. 


CHAPTER   2. 
SAN  LUIS  OBISPO  COUNTY. 

THE  OIL- YIELDING  FORMATIONS. 

By  H.  W.  Fairbanks,  Ph.D. 

8.2.1.  That  portion  of  the  Coast  Ranges  embraced  within  the  bound- 
ary of  San  Luis  Obispo  County  is  characterized  particularly  by  extensive 
deposits  of  bituminous  rock.  There  are  also  to  be  found  numerous 
springs  of  a  thick,  tar-like  oil.  Under  some  circumstances  the  oil  from 
these  springs  has  impregnated  sandstones  forming  bituminous  rock; 
under  others  it  has  accumulated  in  great  quantities  on  the  surface,  as 
in  the  valley  of  Tar  Spring  Creek.  The  source  of  the  oil  is  to  be  found 
in  a  formation  which  once  covered  nearly  the  whole  of  the  area  of  the 
county,  but  which  has  now  been  in  a  great  measure  removed  by  erosion. 
This  oil-producing  formation  belongs  to  the  lower  part  of  the  Middle 
Tertiary  period,  and  is  known  as  the  Monterey  formation.  It  is  composed 
of  sandstones,  limestones,  clays,  and  hard  silicious  shales.  Investiga- 
tion has  shown  that  the  limestones  and  silicious  shales  are  the  source  of 
the  oil  and  other  bituminous  products.  The  rocks  are  in  a  great  part 
of  organic  origin,  having  been  formed  of  the  skeletons  of  fish  and  micro- 
scopic sea  organisms.  In  some  places  the  oil-producing  rocks  are  nearly 
a  mile  in  thickness. 

Through  a  long-continued  process  of  distillation  brought  about 
through  the  influences  of  pressure  and  heat,  the  organic  matter  has  been 
driven  off  and  in  places  preserved.  Conditions  for  its  preservation  are 
in  part  furnished  by  porous  rocks,  such  as  sandstones  and  sandy  shales. 
The  oil-producing  formation  is  at  present  found  forming  the  main  por- 
tion of  the  San  Luis  range,  extending  from  Point  Buchon  southeasterly 
past  Arroyo  Grande  and  toward  the  Sisquoc.  That  portion  of  the  Santa 
Lucia  range  lying  east  of  Cuesta  Pass  is  also  formed  of  the  same  shales. 
Another  belt  runs  northwesterly  past  Santa  Margarita  and  down  the 
Salinas  Valley.  These  rocks  swing  around  the  northern  edge  of  the  low 
granite  mountains  lying  east  of  the  Salinas  River,  and  undoubtedly 
underlie  the  Estrella  region.  Going  south  toward  La  Panza,  upon  the 
northeastern  side  of  the  San  Jose  Mountains,  extensive  outcrops  of  these 
rocks  appear.  They  dip  easterly  under  the  valley  of  the  San  Juan,  and 
there  is  every  reason  to  suppose  that  these  oil-producing  shales  underlie 
much  of  the  Carissa  Plains  and  the  Temblor  range,  separating  these 


SAN    LUIS   OBISPO   COUNTY.  147 

plains  from  the  San  Joaquin  Valley.  They  thus  appear  to  connect  with 
the  oil-producing  regions  of  Kern  County.  It  must  be  borne  clearly  in 
mind  in  exploiting  for  oil  that  this  oil-producing  formation,  whose  extent 
has  just  been  described,  is  not  necessarily  the  best  one  in  which  to  drill 
wells.  Although  the  thick  oil  is  distinctly  seen  issuing  from  this 
formation  in  springs  in  the  San  Luis  and  Santa  Lucia  ranges,  yet  it  can 
only  be  found  gathered  in  commercial  quantities  in  those  rocks  which 
are  of  a  nature  sufficiently  porous  to  permit  of  its  absorption.  On 
Tar  Spring  Creek,  as  well  as  on  the  Huasna  River,  heavy  beds  of 
sandstone  are  associated  with  the  oil-producing  shales  as  a  part  of  the 
same  formation,  and  it  would  seem  that  conditions  might  be  favorable 
in  this  region  for  oil-wells  in  the  oil-producing  formation;  but  in  other 
parts  of  the  county  oil  can  be  found  only  where  another  and  younger 
formation  occurs  overlying  the  oil-shales.  It  is  to  this  younger  forma- 
tion that  we  owe  the  presence  of  the  great  deposits  of  bituminous  rock 
in  the  vicinity  of  Edna,  where  this  formation  consists  essentially  of 
porous  sandstones.  The  formation  is  termed  the  San  Pablo,  and  belongs 
to  the  upper  division  of  the  Middle  Tertiary.  The  San  Pablo  forma- 
tion forms  an  elongated  basin-like  syncline  reaching  from  a  point  on 
the  Marie  ranch  about  1  mile  northwest  of  Sycamore  Springs  south- 
easterly to  Arroyo  Grande  Creek.  The  base  of  this  formation,  resting 
directly  upon  the  oil-producing  shales,  is  almost  everywhere  filled  with 
an  oil  now  so  thickened  that  it  constitutes  the  bituminous  rock  of 
commerce.  Upon  the  Marie  ranch  along  the  ocean  cliflfs  southeast  of 
Mallagh  Landing,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Edna,  the  outcrops  of  bitumi- 
nous rocks  are  particularly  prominent.  In  the  past  years,  quite  a 
number  of  wells  have  been  drilled  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County,  but  the 
most  of  these  have  been  so  poorly  located  that,  as  yet,  we  cannot  assert 
that  this  field  has  been  fairly  prospected.  That  vast  quantities  of  oil  have 
been  formed  here  is  certain;  that  it  is  forming  to-day  through  chemical 
action  and  heat  is  equally  certain,  but  as  to  whether  it  will  be  found  in 
quantity  in  a  thin  condition,  we  have  as  yet  no  definite  evidence.  It 
may  be  that  in  this  region  the  oil  has  a  greater  proportion  of  permanent 
base  than  in  other  sections.  More  investigations,  however,  are  required 
to  settle  the  matter. 

In  drilling  wells,  it  is  very  important  to  pay  attention  to  the  geolog- 
ical conditions.  Those  locations  must  be  selected  where  the  geological 
structure  indicates  that  the  proper  rocks  will  be  penetrated  by  the  drill. 
Much  useless  work  has  been  done  in  this  section  because  of  the  lack  of 
precaution  in  this  regard.  It  is  certain  that  the  supply  of  bituminous 
rock  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county  is  very  great,  and  further 
exploitation  may  show  oil  thin  enough  to  pump.  Indications  are  cer- 
tainly favorable.  In  the  northeastern  part  of  the  county  there  is  a  vast 
field  underlain  by  the  oil-producing  rocks  which  is  worthy  of  practical 


148  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

investigation.     It  is  as  yet  too  little  known  for  one  to  say  anything 
about  the  depth  at  which  these  rocks  would  be  encountered. 

RECORD  OF  WELLS. 

By  Geo.  A.  Tweedy,  C.E. 

8.2.2.  In  this  county  there  is  as  great  a  showing  of  bituminized  for- 
mations as  in  an}''  other  county  in  the  State.  There  are  extensive  beds 
of  bituminous  rock  which  have  yielded  a  large  amount  of  paving 
material,  and  some  attempts  have  been  made  to  mine  and  refine  the 
asphaltum  which  occurs  as  superficial  deposits.  During  the  last  twelve 
years,  several  prospect  wells  have  been  drilled  for  oil,  and  in  September, 
1900,  the  following  companies  were  operating  in  San  Luis  Obispo  County: 

8.2.3.  Huasna  Development  Company  (of  Alcatraz  Landing,  Santa 
Barbara  County)  has  two  wells  in  the  Huasna  district  about  15  miles 
east  of  Arroyo  Grande.  One  of  these  wells  is  in  T.  32  S.,  R.  15  E., 
M.  D.  M.,  and  is  said  to  be  841'  deep.  Abandoned.  The  other  is  in 
Sec.  23,  T.  32  S.,  R.  15  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  October,  1900,  this  well  was 
said  to  be  210'  deep.     Drilling. 

8.2.4.  San  Luis  Obispo  Petroleum  Company  has  one  well  on  the  Tar 
Spring  ranch  in  T.  32  S.,  R.  14  E.,  M.  D.  M.  This  well  is  said  to  be 
900'  deep.     Abandoned. 

8.2.5.  Union  Oil  Covipany  has  three  wells  near  Arroyo  Grande.  In 
these  wells  onl}^  traces  of  oil  were  obtained.  This  company  is  drilling  a 
fourth  well  in  the  same  locality. 


CHAPTER  3. 

SAN  BENITO  COUNTY. 

8.3.1.  In  San  Benito  County  there  are  oil-yielding  formations  in  the 
Big  Panoche,  Little  Panoche,  and  the  Hollister  districts. 

BIG  PANOCHE  DISTRICT.  « 

8.3.2.  This  district  includes  the  drainage  basin  of  the  Big  Panoche 
Creek  and  its  tributaries.  By  far  the  greater  portion  of  the  district  lies 
within  the  confines  of  San  Benito  County.  The  companies  that  have 
drilled  or  are  drilling  in  the  Big  Panoche  district  are  as  follows: 

8.3.3.  Ashurst  Oil  Company  (Jacob  Simon  of  Stockton,  president). 
This  company  began  operations  in  October,  1900,  in  Sec.  31,  T.  16  S., 
R.  11  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  on  the  lands  of  Robert  Ashurst,  2  miles  south  of 
the  Union  Oil  Company's  lands. 

8.3.4.  Dewey  Oil  Company  (W.  Crawford  of  Hanford,  president).    A 
16'  shaft  sunk  by  this  company  on  Sec.  8,  T.  17  S.,  R.  11  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
struck  a  strong  seepage  of  oil. 

8.3.5.  Dos  Polos  Oil  Company  (M.  Christian  of  Dos  Palos,  president) 


SAN    BENITO    COUNTY.  149 

has  a  well  in  Sec.  8,  T.  15  S.,  R.  11  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Drilled,  with  hydraulic 
rig,  400'  through  shale  and  sandstone.  A  small  quantity  of  oil  was 
struck. 

8.3.6.  Esmeralda  Oil  and  Development  Company  (H.  S.  Field  of  San 
Francisco,  president)  has  a  well  in  Sec.  13,  T.  15  S.,  R.  10  E.,  M.  D.  M. 
Hand-drilled  32',  through  shale;  struck  sand  stratum  with  a  little  oil. 
This  company  was  also  preparing  to  drill  in  Sec.  26,  T.  17  S.,  R.  11  E., 
M.  D.  M. 

8.3.7.  Fresno  Alpha  Oil  Company  (Gen.  J.  M.  Gleaves  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, president)  has  a  well  in  T.  16  S.,  R.  12  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  on  Silver 
Creek.  This  well  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  325',  and  struck  a  strong 
flow  of  gas.  Between  the  depths  of  95'  and  268',  a  35'  and  a  33'  stratum 
of  oil-sand  were  struck;  at  300'  a  heavy  flow  of  water  was  encountered. 
This  company  has  made  a  preliminary  survey  for  a  railroad  line  to 
Mendota. 

8.3.8.  Hamiltonian  Oil  Company  (N.  C.  Briggs  of  Hollister,  presi- 
dent) has  sunk  a  shaft  14'  deep  in  Sec.  24,  T.  17  S.,  R.  11  E.,  M.  D.  M 
A  2'  stratum  of  oil-sand  was  struck.     Still  prospecting. 

8.3.9.  Ingomar  Oil  Company  (M.  H.  de  Young  of  San  Francisco, 
president)  has  a  well  in  Sec.  8,  T.  15  S.,  R.  11  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Hand- 
drilled  17'  through  shale  and  sand. 

8.3.10.  McCoy  Oil  Company  (R.  Irwin  of  Fresno,  president)  has 
sunk  several  shafts  from  6'  to  16'  deep  in  Sec.  9,  T.  17  S.,  R.  11  E., 
M.  D.  M.     Some  oil  struck. 

8.3.11.  Olympia  Oil  Company  (John  Hammerschmidt  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, president)  has  sunk  a  shaft  46'  deep  in  Sec.  10,  T.  15  S.,  R.  11  E., 
M.  D.  M. 

8.3.12.  San  Benito  Oil  Company.  During  the  summer  of  1900,  this 
company  prospected  in  Sees.  24  and  36,  T.  16  S.,  R.  10  E.;  Sec.  1,  T.  17  S., 
R.  10  E.;  Sec.  7,  T.  17  S.,  R.  11  E.,  M.  D.  M.  (lands  of  J.  C.  Barg); 
and  in  Sec.  6,  T.  17  S.,  R.  11  E.,  M.  D.  M.  (lands  of  Thomas  Flint,  Jr., 
and  Mark  Ashurst),  65  miles  southeast  of  Hollister. 

8.3.13.  San  Carlos  Oil  Company  has  a  well  in  Sec.  8,  T.  17  S.,  R.  11  E., 
M.  D.  M.  Seven  years  ago  a  105'  well  was  drilled  by  hand,  and  some 
oil  struck.     No  work  has  been  done  since,  owing  to  litigation. 

8.3.14.  Santa  Maria  Oil  Company  (Charles  T.  Behan  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, president)  has  sunk  a  40'  shaft  in  Sec.  21,  T.  17  S.,  R.  11  E., 
M.  D.  M,     Formation,  principally  sandstone.     Some  oil  was  struck. 

8.3.15.  Silver  Creek  Oil  Com-pany  (George  W.  Schmidt  of  Fresno, 
president)  has  a  well  in  Sec.  33,  T.  15  S.,  R.  12  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  on  Silver 
Creek  15  miles  south  of  Panoche  store.  Drilled  800'  through  sand  and 
shale. 

8.3.16.  Union  Oil  Company  (Lyman  Stewart  of  Santa  Paula,  presi- 
dent) has  drilled  five  wells,  varying  in  depth  from  700'  to  1200'  in  Sec. 
24,  T.  16  S.,  R.  10  E.,  and  Sec.  19,  T.  16  S.,  R.  11  E.,  M.  D.  M.     Three 


150  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

of  these  wells  produced  30  to  40  bbls.  per  day;  oil,  34°  B.     These  three 
wells  were  capped.    The  two  others  were  abandoned  and  the  casings  drawn . 

THE  LITTLE  PANOCHE  DISTRICT. 

8.3.17.  This  district  includes  the  drainage  basin  of  the  Little  Panoche 
Creek  and  its  tributaries.  The  greater  portion  of  the  district  is  in  Fresno 
County.  In  October,  1900,  the  following  companies  were  operating  or 
had  been  operating  in  this  district: 

8.3.18.  Big  Panoche  Oil  Com.pany  has  a  well  700'  deep  in  Sec.  23, 
T.  13  S.,  R.  11  E.,  M.  D,  M.     Casings  drawn  and  well  abandoned. 

8.3.19.  Old  Glory  Oil  Company  (in  Merced  County?).  One  well 
drilled  530'  and  abandoned. 

8.3.20.  Pacific  Oil  and  Development  Company  (of  Los  Baiios)  has  a 
well  in  T.  13  S.,  R.  9  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Drilled  400'.  At  a  depth  of  280' 
some  oil  was  struck. 

8.3.21.  Panichito  Oil  Company  (D.  M.  Lloyd  of  Oakland,  president) 
has  a  well  in  Sec.  20,  T.  14  S.,  R.  11  E.,  M.  D.  M.  Drilled  350'  through 
shale  and  sandstone.     Some  oil  was  struck. 

8.3.22.  World  Oil  Company  (J.  T.  Riley  of  San  Jose,  president)  has 
drilled  one  well  in  Sec.  31,  T.  14  S.,  R.  10  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  500'  through 
shale  and  sand,  encountering  a  l)ody  of  salt  water. 

THE  HOLLISTER  DISTRICT. 

8.3.23.  This  district  includes  the  drainage  basin  of  the  San  Benito 
River  and  its  tributaries.  In  October,  1900,  the  following  companies 
were  operating  or  had  be^n  operating  in  this  district: 

8.3.24.  Hollister  Crude  Oil  Company  (Ltd.)  (C.  J.  Tallon  of  San 
Francisco,  president;  E.  J.  Bean,  resident  superintendent).  This  com- 
pany has  sunk  a  68'  shaft  on  lands  leased  from  R.  W.  Chappel  in  San 
Justo  grant.  Lot  14,  4  miles  southeast  of  Hollister.  The  formation  is 
black  shale,  with  a  strong  odor  of  oil.  In  October,  1900,  a  derrick  had 
been  erected  preparatory  to  drilling. 

8.3.25.  Nonj)areil  Consolidated  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  E.  C. 
Newell,  manager)  has  a  1030'  well  in  Sec.  32,  T.  18  S.,  R.  10  E.,  M.  D.  M., 
on  the  Alvarez  ranch  near  Bitterwater  Creek.  Formation,  blue  shale 
and  some  hard  shells,  with  traces  of  oil.  Drilling.  This  company  has 
also  three  test  wells,  68',  89',  and  97'  deep,  respectively.  The  owners 
state  that  oil  was  struck  in  all  the  test  wells. 

8.3.26.  San  Benito. County  Oil  Comjjany  (R.  P.  Lathrop  of  Hollister, 
president;  E.  J.  Bean,  superintendent).  This  company  is  operating  on 
170  acres  of  land  leased  from  John  Kehl,  5  miles  southeast  of  Hollister, 
in  Sec.  24,  T.  13  S.,  R.  5  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  the  middle  of  October,  1900, 
one  well  had  been  drilled  to  a  depth  of  425'.  Formation:  Black  shale  to 
220';  oil-sand  to  267';  blue  shale  to  285'  (at  this  depth  gas  and  warm 
salt  water  were  struck);  blue  shale  to  425'. 


ALAMEDA  COUNTY — SANTA  CLARA  COUNTY.  151 


F^HT  9. 


ALAMEDA,  SANTA  CLARA,  SAN  MATEO,  AND 
CONTRA  COSTA  COUNTIES. 


CHAPTER  1. 

ALAMEDA  COUNTY. 

9.1.1.  Oil-yielding  formations  crop  out  in  many  places  in  Alameda 
County,  and  as  early  as  1875  attracted  the  attention  of  the  oil-prospector. 
Since  that  date,  several  comparatively  shallow  wells  have  been  sunk, 
principally  in  the  vicinity  of  Livermore. 

9.1.2.  The  Alameda  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco)  has  a  well  in 
Sec.  22,  T.  2  S.,  R.  2  E.,  M.  D.  M.,  at  a  point  about  4  miles  north  of 
Livermore.  In  July,  1900,  this  well  was  1175'  deep.  The  formation  is 
principally  sandstone.  The  well  yields  much  gas  and  salt  water,  with 
some  traces  of  oil. 


CHAPTER  2. 

SANTA  CLARA  COUNTY. 

9.2.1.  The  existence  of  petroleum-yielding  formations  in  Santa  Clara 
County  has  been  known  for  many  years,  notably  at  Moody  Gulch  and 
at  the  Sargent  ranch  near  the  western  boundary  of  the  county.  At  the 
first-mentioned  locality  an  oil-field  was  developed  by  Mr.  R.  C.  McPher- 
son,  the  first  well  being  drilled  in  1878-79.  This  field  has  been  a 
productive  one  until  the  present  time.  It  is  now  owned  by  the  Golden 
Gate  Oil  and  Development  Company.  On  the  Sargent  ranch  there  are 
extensive  superficial  deposits  of  asphaltum,  and  tar-springs  ooze  not 
only  from  sedimentary  formations,  but  also  from  serpentine.  In  1890 
a  well  was  sunk  on  the  Sargent  ranch,  but  only  a  small  quantity  of 
tar-like  oil  was  obtained.  A  large  portion  of  the  Sargent  ranch  and 
adjacent  territory  is  leased  by  the  Watson ville  Oil  Company,  as  herein- 
after noted. 


152  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

9.2.2.  The  geological  formations  seen  by  the  writer  on  the  territory 
of  the  Watson ville  Oil  Company  consist  of: 

(1)  Silicious  shales,  which  resemble  the  silicious  shales  of  the  Lower 
Neocene  series.  These  shales  are  inclined  at  a  great  angle,  and  yield  a 
heavy,  tar-like  oil,  which  forms  superficial  beds  of  asphaltum. 

(2)  A  formation,  consisting  principally  of  sandstone,  which  appears 
to  rest  non-conformably  on  the  silicious  shales;  in  places  the  sandstone 
is  bituminous. 

A  small  portion  of  the  territory  owned  by  the  Watsonville  Oil  Com- 
pany is  in  Santa  Cruz  County. 

9.2.3.  Output  of  petroleum  in  Santa  Clara  County  for  three  years 
ending  1899: 

'  Bbls.  Value. 

1897 - .- 4,000  $10,000  00 

1898 3,000  6,000  00 

1899 1,500  3,000  00 

Total  for  three  j'ears 8,500  $19,000  00 

PRODUCTIVE  OIL-WELLS. 

Only  those  wells  are  mentioned  which  were  producing  in  July,  1900. 

9.2.4.  Golden  Gate  Oil  and  Development  Company  (of  San  Francisco; 
Frank  A.  Garbutt,  president).  This  company  succeeded  A.  McPherson. 
The  wells,  numbering  some  fourteen,  are  situated  in  Moody  Gulch,  2 
miles  west  of  Alma,  in  Sees.  8  and  17,  T.  9  S.,  R.  1  W.,  M.  D.  M.  The 
company  began  operations  in  March,  1900,  re-opening  two  of  the  old 
wells,  one  at  an  elevation  of  1225',  the  other  at  1050'.  The  upper  well, 
which  was  down  700',  was  deepened  to  1150',  through  black  shale  for  the 
greater  depth,  and  through  a  white  pebbled  sand  near  the  bottom.  A 
small  amount  of  oil  (about  1  bbl.  per  day)  was  struck  at  900'.  The 
lower  well  was  sunk  900'  by  the  former  operators,  and  the  present  com- 
pany had  derrick,  engine,  and  boiler  on  the  ground  in  July  to  continue 
drilling.  A  third  well,  which  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  about  1200'  by 
former  operators,  contains  oil  that  stands  about  15'  below  the  collar  of 
the  well.  The  oil  has  a  gravity  of  39°  B.  The  formation  has  a  strike 
of  west  of  north,  and  dips  to  the  west.  Steam  power  is  used,  with  wood 
for  fuel.  Until  1900  these  wells  were  the  only  productive  wells  in  Santa 
Clara  County;  in  that  year  they  produced  1500  bbls  of  oil. 

9.2.5.  Watsonville  Oil  Company  (of  Watsonville;  F.  A.  Kilburn, 
president)  has  under  lease  7235  acres,  including  3269  acres  of  the  J.  P. 
Sargent  tract,  1200  acres  of  the  Santa  Clara  Land  and  Lumber  Com- 
pany tract,  and  1845  acres  of  the  Casserly  tract.  The  Sargent  lands,  on 
which  the  Watsonville  Oil  Company  operates,  occupy  Sec.  31  and  a 
portion  of  Sec.  32,  T.  11  S.,  R.  4  E.;  Sees.  5  and  6,  T.  12  S.,  R.  4  E.;  Sec.  1 
and  a  portion  of  Sec.  2,  T.  12  S.,  R.  3  E.;  and  Sees.  35  and  36,  T.  11  S., 
R.  3  E — all  in  M.  D.  M.  There  is  also  included  in  these  lands  two  strips 
adjoining  the  Sargent  lands  on  the  north,  containing  respectively  433  and 


SANTA  CLARA  COUNTY.  153 

488  acres.  The  Santa  Clara  tract  and  the  Casserly  tract  lie  to  the  north 
and  northwest.  The  operations  include  seven  wells.  Well  No.  7  was 
started  in  September,  1900,  and  in  the  middle  of  that  month  was  down 
about  300'.  Wells  Nos.  5  and  6  were  sunk  670'  and  980'.  In  the  spring 
and  summer  of  1900,  No.  5  was  producing  about  5  bbls.  a  day,  the  oil 
finding  a  market  at  Gilroy  and  Hollister,  where  it  is  used  for  fuel;  it  is 
also  used  for  fuel  by  the  company  operating  the  wells.  In  July  last,  it 
was  decided  to  abandon  well  No.  6,  for  only  traces  of  oil  had  been  found 
in  it,  but  when  the  casing  was  drawn,  oil  began  to  flow  into  the  well. 
Well  No.  7  was  then  commenced  within  300'  of  Nos.  5  and  6.  The  wells 
of  the  Watsonville  Oil  Company  are  2  miles  distant  from  a  shipping 
point  on  the  S.  P.  R.  R. 

PROSPECT  WELLS. 
Information  obtained  by  L.  H.  Eddy. 

Only  those  wells  are  mentioned  which  had  been  drilled,  or  were  being 
drilled,  in  August,  1900. 

9.2.6.  Alvia  Oil  Company  (of  San  Jose;  M.  G.  Rhodes,  president)  has 
a  well  4  miles  south  of  Alma,  in  T.  9  S.,  R.  1  W.  The  company  owns 
20  acres  on  Los  Gatos  Creek.  Drilling  was  commenced  in  July,  1900. 
The  well  is  situated  at  an  elevation  of  1425',  on  a  yellow  sandstone  belt 
which  has  a  course  of  east  of  north.  It  is  within  half  a  mile  of  the 
Santa  Cruz  narrow-gauge  branch  of  the  S.  P.  R.  R.,  2^  miles  from 
Wrights,  and  60  miles  from  San  Francisco.  Steam  power  is  used.  There 
is  a  plentiful  supply  of  wood  and  water. 

9.2.7.  Gilroy  Oil  and  Development  Company  (of  Gilroy,  recently  in- 
corporated). This  company  has  bonded  1000  acres  of  land  on  Uvas  and 
Arthur  creeks,  in  Solis  district,  4-g  miles  west  of  Gilroy.  The  surface 
formation  is  sandstone.  There  are  oil-seepages  within  200  yards  of  the 
well. 

9.2.8.  Kreyenhagen  Land  and  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  John  A. 
Hendrickson,  president)  has  leased  from  the  Watsonville  Oil  Company 
250  acres  in  Sec.  32,  T.  11  S.,  R.  4  E.,  M.  D.  M.  In  September,  1900,  this 
company  was  preparing  to  drill. 

9.2.9.  Main  Estate  (oil-wells  on).  The  following  records  of  wells 
drilled  on  the  Main  Estate,  7^  miles  south  of  San  Jose,  were  given  the 
writer  by  R.  C.  McPherson,  of  Santa  Clara  County: 

Well  No.  1:  Coarse  gravel  to  30';  sand  and  clay  to  50';  slate  to  83'; 
brown  shale  and  gas  to  134'  (gas  burned  at  top  of  well);  sand,  with  oil, 
to  160';  hard  shale  (gas)  to  170';  soft  shale  and  a  little  sand,  with  oil, 
to  180';  hard,  dark  shale,  with  oil,  to  212';  granitic  rock  and  shale  to 
260';  black  shale  and  oil  to  285';  hard  shells  to  290';  shale,  with  oil,  to 
300';  shelly  formation,  with  some  oil,  to  215';  dark  shale  to  340';  lime 
rock  to  390';  brown  shale  to  400';  sandy  shale  to  410';  slate  and  iron 
pyrites  to  415';  hard  gray  sand  and  gas  to  422';  shale  to  462';  slate  and 


154  CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

streaks  of  hard,  shelly  rock  to  498';  shale  to  504';  cavey  formation  to 
508';  sandy  shale,  with  strong  flow  of  gas,  to  513';  slate  to  541';  soap 
rock  to  565';  slate  to  580';  sand  rock  to  590';  sand  and  shale,  with  more 
gas,  to  620';  slate  to  629';  very  soft  slate  to  666';  hard  streaks  of  slate 
to  680';  bottom  of  well  in  slate  to  754'.  The  well  was  cased  with  10", 
8",  and  6"  casing.     Drilled  in  1892. 

Well  No.  2  :  Gravel  to  25';  sand  to  35';  clay  and  little  streak  of  sand 
to  28';  sand  to  109';  clay  to  119';  brown  shale,  with  heavy  oil,  to  136'; 
brown  shale  and  gas  to  153';  sand  to  156';  brown  shale  to  162';  shale 
mixed  with  green  rock  to  170';  dark  sand,  with  showing  of  oil,  to  190'; 
hard  shale  (brown)  to  200'.  This  well  is  30'  west  of  well  No.  1.  Drilled 
in  1894. 

Well  No.  3:  Sand  and  gravel  to  30';  green  clay  and  thin  stratum  of 
brown  shale  to  112';  coarse  gravel  and  sand,  with  gas  and  heavy  oil,  to 
141';  streaks  of  clay  mixed  with  sand  rock  to  180';  shale  to  184';  brown 
sand  rock  to  200';  brown  shale  to  228';  marl  filled  with  sea-shells  to  336'; 
brown  shale  to  345';  mud  streak  to  406';  soft  brown  shale  to  437';  very 
dark  shell  rock  and  salt  water  to  478';  gray  sand,  with  strong  flow  of 
gas,  to  490'  (at  this  depth  the  gas  raised  water  over  derrick);  gray  sand 
and  more  gas  to  505';  dark  slate  rock  filled  with  sea-shells  to  520';  sand 
rock,  with  asphaltum,  to  525';  hard  shale  to  557';  mud  streak  to  565'; 
brown  shale,  full  of  oil,  to  570';  brown  shale,  with  more  oil  and  gas,  to 
574'.  Drilling  was  still  in  progress,  the  formation  being  shale,  with  oil 
and  gas,  when  record  was  obtained.     Drilled  in  1896-97. 


CHAPTER  3. 

SAN  MATEO  COUNTY. 

9.3.1.  Oil-yielding  formations  have  been  traced  through  many  por- 
tions of  San  Mateo  County,  and  there  are  numerous  seepages  of  petro- 
leum; there  are  also  deposits  of  asphaltum  on  the  Savage  ranch  about 
2  miles  southeast  of  Spanishtown.  The  only  productive  wells  yet 
obtained  in  San  Mateo  County  are  wells  less  than  500'  deep  drilled  on 
the  Purissima  and  Tunitas  creeks.  Since  1890,  several  wells  have  been 
drilled  on  land  adjacent  to  Purissima  Creek  about  4  miles  southeast  of 
Spanishtown,  the  deepest  being  only  350'.  The  formation  is  sandstone 
and  dark-colored  shale.  It  is  said  that  none  of  these  wells  yielded  more 
than  2  bbls.  of  oil  a  day,  and  that  the  specific  gravity  of  the  oil  was 
42°  B. 

About  10  miles  southeast  of  Spanishtown  on  Tunitas  Creek,  two  or 
more  wells  were  drilled  several  years  ago.     The  formation  resembled 


SAN    MATEO    COUNTY.  .  155 

that  penetrated  by  the  wells  on  Purissima  Creek.  The  deepest  of  these 
wells  is  560'.     It  is  said  that  none  of  these  wells  yielded  more  than 

2  bbls.  of  oil  a  day,  and  that  the  gravity  of  the  oil  was  48°  B.  A  few 
fossils  were  obtained  from  one  of  the  wells  on  Tunitas  Creek.  They 
were  identified  by  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper,  and  proved  to  be  of  Eocene  age. 

9.3.2.  The  Paraffin  Oil  Company  (of  San  Mateo;  G.  D.  Roberts  of 
Los  Angeles,  president).  In  July,  1900,  this  company  was  drilling  a 
well  on  land  adjacent  to  the  Purissima  Creek  at  a  point  400'  higher 
than,  and  1100'  east  of,  an  old  well  drilled  several  years  ago.  At  the 
date  mentioned,  this  well  was  said  to  be  600'  deep.  Oil  of  51°  B.  had 
been  struck  at  450',  and  it  was  thought  that  the  well  would  produce 

3  bbls.  a  day.  The  oil  had  been  cased  off,  and  the  well  was  being  deep- 
ened. The  formation  is  sandstone  and  shale.  There  was  some  gas.  Oil 
for  fuel  was  obtained  from  the  oil-well  previously  referred  to. 

9.3.3.  Wells  near  Half  Moon  Bay.  About  three  years  ago  E.  J.  Bean 
drilled  for  oil  on  land  now  owned  by  Joseph  Fernandez,  situated  \\ 
miles  south  of  Half  Moon  Bay,  near  Clam  Rock,  about  800'  from  the 
beach.  AVell  No.  1,  TOO'  deep,  caved  in,  and  was  abandoned.  Well  No.  2, 
10'  from  No.  1,  900'  deep;  700'  of  casing;  tools  lost  in  the  well,  and  the 
well  abandoned.  Well  No.  3,  10'  from  No.  2,  1300'  deep;  abandoned 
on  account  of  lack  of  funds. 

About  1^  miles  south  of  the  Bean  wells,  a  well  was  drilled  many  years 
ago,  of  which  no  reliable  data  can  now  be  obtained.  More  than  twenty 
years  ago,  oil  was  prospected  for  on  the  ranch  of  R.  D.  Savage,  about  1^ 
miles  easterly  from  Half  Moon  Bay.  About  1896,  George  Owens  drilled 
a  well  in  the  gulch  to  the  east  of  Savage's  house.  It  is  stated  that  at  a 
depth  of  30',  a  20'  stratum  of  oil-sand  was  struck  which  yielded  a  heavy 
black  oil.  The  oil  has  since  risen  to  within  2'  of  the  surface.  This 
well  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  1200',  at  which  depth  granite  was  struck 
and  the  well  abandoned.  It  is  said  that  a  stratum  of  dry  oil-sand  was 
struck  before  reaching  the  granite.  About  a  year  ago,  Mr.  Sidney 
Smith  drilled  a  well  600'  east  of  the  Owens  well.  At  a  depth  of  30'  a 
stratum  yielding  a  heavy  black  oil  similar  to  that  of  the  Owens  well 
was  penetrated  to  a  depth  of  60',  but  the  well  was  abandoned.  In  this 
well,  also,  the  oil  has  risen  to  within  2'  of  the  surface.  These  wells  are 
less  than  3  miles  from  the  ocean,  and  a'bout  600'  above  sea-level. 

9.3.4.  In  May,  1898,  Mr.  McNee  and  others  drilled  three  wells  about 
300'  from  Drafiin's  Beach,  about  9  miles  from  Half  Moon  Bay.  It  is 
said  that  in  one  at  a  depth  of  200',  and  in  each  of  the  others  at  less  than 
100',  granite  was  encountered,  and  the  wells  abandoned.  The  formation 
is  as  follows:  Well  No.  1:  Soil  to  3';  yellow  clay  to  21';  blue  clay  to 
40';  water-sand  and  pebbles  to  60';  blue  sand  to  84';  blue  clay  to  90' 
oil-sand  to  114'  (end  of  casing);  granite  to  150';  blue  quartz  to  158' 
granite  to  178';  quartz  to  196';  granite  to  200'.     Well  No.  2:  Soil  to  15' 


156  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

clay  to  20';  yellow  sand  to  45';  gray  sand  to  50';  coarse  pebbles,  with 
water,  to  58';  blue  sand  and  coarse  gravel,  with  a  little  oil,  to  62';  gray 
sand,  with  oil,  to  67';  clay  and  sand,  traces  of  oil,  to  71';  blue  clay,  with 
traces  of  oil,  to  75';  green  sand  to  77';  granite  to  80'. 


CHAPTER  4. 

CONTRA  COSTA  COUNTY. 

9.4.1.  The  existence  of  petroleum  in  Contra  Costa  County  has  been 
known  as  long  ago  as  1864.  At  that  date  J.  W.  Cruikshank  (now  of  Paso 
Robles)  drilled  several  experimental  wells  about  1^  miles  south  of  the 
Empire  coal  mine.  One  of  these  wells  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  300'. 
Mr.  Cruikshank  states  that  in  one  well  he  struck  a  green  oil  of  high 
specific  gravity,  and  pumped  about  15  bbls. 

In  1865  the  Adams  Petroleum  Company  was  organized;  several  shal- 
low wells  were  drilled,  and  some  oil  was  obtained.  It  is  said  that  the 
drilling  machinery  used  was  inadequate,  and  the  enterprise  was  aban- 
doned. The  Adams  Petroleum  Company  operated  on  land  which  is  now 
a  part  of  the  Coates  estate. 

9.4.2.  American  Oil  and  Refinery  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  W.  E. 
Holbrook,  president)  has  a  well  on  the  Minor  ranch,  about  H  miles 
from  Orinda  Park  postoffice.  It  is  said  that  this  well  is  1300'  deep.  The 
formation  penetrated  is  shown  by  the  following  record:  Alluvium  to  15'; 
gray  sandstone  to  90';  tough  clay  to  215';  fine-grained,  bluish  sandstone 
to  900'.  Salt  water  flows  from  this  well,  and  when  the  water  is  stirred 
inflammable  gas  rises  to  the  surface.  Tools  were  lost  in  the  well  and 
it  was  abandoned.  The  company  then  selected  another  well-site  near 
the  first  well,  and  in  October,  1900,  a  new  drilling  plant  had  been  set 
up.  In  the  creek-bed  near  the  new  well-site,  sandstone  and  shale  are 
exposed  and  there  are  seepages  of  petroleum. 

9.4.3.  Contra  Costa  Oil  and  Petroleum  Company  (of  San  Francisco; 
L.  R.  Mead,  president)  has  bonded  a  portion  of  the  Coates  estate,  and 
has  selected  a  well-site  about  1^  miles  south  of  the  Empire  coal  mine. 
In  October,  1900,  this  company  had  erected  a  derrick  and  had  machinery 
on  the  ground  ready  to  drill.  The  land  on  which  the  derrick  of  this 
company  stands  was  the  scene  of  one  of  the  earliest  attempts  at  oil- 
mining  in  California,  and  some  oil  was  found,  as  before  recorded. 

9.4.4.  Grand  Pacific  Oil  Company  (A.  G.  Deardorf,  president)  has 
bonded  the  ranch  of  Josephus  Hodges,  about  a  mile  east  of  Lafayette. 
In  October,  1900,  this  company  had  selected  a  well-site  and  had  a  drill- 
ing plant  on  the  ground. 


I 


CONTRA  COSTA  COUNTY.  157 

9.4.5.  McCamley  Ranch  (near  San  Ramon).  It  is  said  that  shallow 
prospect  wells  have  been  sunk  on  this  ranch,  with  satisfactory  results. 

9.4.6.  Mount  Diablo  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  G.  W.  Terrill, 
president)  has  secured  control  of  the  Old  Tar  ranch,  situated  about 
2  miles  easterly  from  San  Pablo.  Oil  was  found  on  this  ranch  many 
years  ago,  and  several  shallow  wells  have  been  drilled  on  it.  In  1899, 
Mr.  J.  W.  Laymance  of  Oakland  drilled  a  170'  well.  He  states  that 
much  seepage  oil  was  found.  In  October,  1900,  a  drilling  plant  was  on 
the  ground. 

9.4.7.  Point  Richmond  Oil  Company  (of  San  Francisco;  H.  B.  Russ, 
president)  has  two  100'  wells  on  the  Mulford  ranch,  3  miles  northeast  of 
San  Pablo.     There  is  a  seepage  of  heavy  oil  near  these  wells. 

9.4.8.  San  Pablo  Oil  Company  (E.  L.  Doheny  of  Los  Angeles,  presi- 
dent) has  a  well  about  a  mile  northeast  of  San  Pablo  on  the  ranch  of 
T.  W.  Mulford.  The  well  is  about  500'  above  sea-level.  It  is  said  that 
the  company  has  drilled  670',  and  that  traces  of  oil  have  been  found. 
Inflammable  gas  escapes  from  the  well. 

9.4.9.  Sobrante  Oil  and  Investment  Company  (C.  Harris,  president) 
has  secured  land  upon  the  Castro  tract.  The  well-site  chosen  is 
about  I7  miles  northeasterly  from  the  Mount  Diablo  Company's  wells, 
and  is  about  160'  above  sea-level.  It  is  said  that  there  are  indications 
of  oil  in  the  vicinity. 

9.4.10.  Tide  Water  Oil  Development  Company  (C.  D.  Howry,  presi- 
dent) has  a  well  about  1  mile  south  of  the  well-site  of  the  Contra  Costa 
Oil  and  Petroleum  Company.  The  well  is  on  the  Coates  estate.  In 
October,  1900,  this  well  was  about  300'  deep.     Water  was  struck  at  250'. 


158  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


P^^IIT  lO. 


MENDOCINO,  COLUSA,  HUMBOLDT,  AND  NAPA 

COUNTIES. 


CHAPTER  1. 


MENDOCINO  COUNTY. 


10.1.1.  In  Mendocino  County  petroleum-yielding  formations  have 
been  discovered  in  several  places,  the  best  known  being  Point  Arena, 
where  ledges  of  oil-sand  are  exposed. 

As  described  by  Mr.  Goodyear  in  the  Vllth  Report  of  the  California 
State  Mining  Bureau,  several  prospect  wells  had  been  drilled  at  Point 
Arena  prior  to  1887,  but  no  valuable  quantity  of  oil  was  obtained. 

During  the  past  two  years  other  prospect  wells  have  been  drilled  at 
Point  Arena.  The  following  history  of  these  enterprises  is  contributed 
by  Mr.  H.  Howe  of  that  place: 

10.1.2.  The  Watson  Oil  Company  of  Napa  Junction,  California, 
drilled  a  700'  well  on  the  Curley  ranch,  about  l-^  miles  northwest  of 
Point  Arena.  The  formation  is  sandstone  and  soft  rock.  At  700'  a 
stratum  of  asphaltum  was  struck.  This  company  then  drilled  a  second 
well  on  the  Porter  O'Neill  ranch,  a  short  distance  west  of  the  first  well. 
This  well  was  between  600'  and  700'  deep;  it  is  abandoned. 

10.1.3.  The  interests  of  the  Watson  Oil  Company  were  purchased  by 
the  White  Lumber  Company  of  San  Francisco,  and  others,  who  drilled 
two  400'  wells  on  the  land  of  the  White  Lumber  Company.  These 
wells  are  about  100  yards  northwest  of  the  chutes  where  the  lumber 
company  load  their  vessels.  The  records  of  these  wells  are  similar  to 
the  records  of  the  wells  of  the  Watson  Oil  Company.  Asphaltum  was 
struck;  it  could  not  be  penetrated,  and  the  wells  were  abandoned. 


COLUSA   COUNTY.  159 

CHAPTER  2. 

COLUSA  COUNTY. 

10.2.1.  As  mentioned  in  Bulletin  No.  3,  published  by  the  California 
State  Mining  Bureau,  the  existence  of  petroleum  in  Colusa  County  has 
been  known  for  many  years.  At  an  early  day  in  the  history  of  the 
county,  some  prospecting  was  done  on  the  McMichael  and  the  Stoval 
ranches,  near  the  Mountain  House,  on  the  Lake  County  road.  Forma- 
tions which  yield  inflammable  gas  are  exposed  at  the  Peterson  ranch, 
near  Sites ;  and  at  the  Elgin  mine,  near  Sulphur  Creek ;  and  at  several 
other  places  in  Colusa  County. 

10.2.2.  In  the  winter  of  1896,  the  writer  made  a  reconnaissance  of  a 
portion  of  Bear  Creek,  where  some  of  the  springs  of  petroleum  were  said 
to  exist.  In  T.  14  N.,  R.  5  W.,  M.  D.  M.,  about  a  mile  east  of  Sulphur 
Creek  P.  0.,  on  land  owned  by  T.  Sheerer  and  M.  A.  Long  &  Sons,  of  the 
village  of  Williams,  Colusa  Count}',  petroleum  was  found  oozing  from 
the  rocks.  The  general  character  of  the  formation  exposed  along  Bear 
Creek  is  shale  and  sandstone,  with  thin  strata  of  impure  limestone. 

10.2.3.  A  few  fossils  were  obtained,  which  indicated  that  these  rocks 
were  deposited  during  the  Cretaceous  period.  In  many  places,  the  strat- 
ified rocks  show  metamorphic  action. 

The  summits  of  the  adjacent  hills,  especially  to  the  west  of  Bear  Creek, 
consist  of  serpentine,  and  on  the  flanks  of  the  hills  the  stratified  rocks 
are  much  obscured  by  blocks  of  serpentine  and  earth.  The  structure  of 
the  stratified  rocks  is  that  of  compressed  anticlinal  folds. 

The  first  oil-seepage  inspected  is  near  the  S.E.  corner  of  Sec.  21,  in 
the  bed  of  a  little  creek  emptying  into  Bear  Creek.    . 

10.2.4.  At  the  point  named  a  small  quantity  of  greenish  petroleum 
and  mineral  water  issues  from  a  deposit  of  calcareous  tufa  which  covers 
the  stratified  rocks. 

The  dip  of  the  last-mentioned  rocks,  as  observed  in  the  bed  of  Bear 
Creek,  is  N.  50°  E.,  and  the  angle  of  inclination  is  about  70°. 

On  the  hill-side  east  of  Bear  Creek,  near  the  mouth  of  Sulphur  Creek, 
there  is  a  coarse  sandstone  containing  numerous  fossils  {Aucella),  but 
they  are  much  decomposed. 

At  se^seral  places  in  the  bed  of  Bear  Creek,  and  for  a  distance  of  about 
half  a  mile  below  the  mouth  of  Sulphur  Creek,  strata  of  shale  and  sand- 
stone are  exposed.  They  dip  N.  50°  E.  and  N.  60°  E.,  at  an  angle  of 
from  50°  to  80°. 

10.2.5.  A  short  distance  south  of  the  S.E.  corner  of  the  S.W.  i  of  the 
N.W.  i  of  Sec.  27,  T.  14  N.,  R.  5  W.,  M.  D.  M.,  Bear  Creek  crosses  an 
anticlinal  axis.     The  dip  of  the  formation  is  S.  25°  W.  and  N.  25°  E.  at 


160  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

an  angle  of  about  70°.     At  and  near  the  axis  there  is  a  slight  showing 
of  oil  in  the  creek. 

Farther  down  Bear  Creek,  the  formation  is  shale;  it  is  much  crushed, 
and  small  quantities  of  oil  are  said  to  exude  from  it  in  hot  weather. 
Near  the  N.E.  corner  of  the  S.W.  i  of  Sec.  27,  Bear  Creek  has  cut 
through  a  thick  stratum  of  sandstone.  This  stratum  is  the  source  of 
several  springs  of  sulphureted  water,  on  the  surface  of  which  a  small 
quantity  of  oil  was  floating. 

10.2.6.  It  is  said  that  many  years  ago  a  6"  well  was  sunk  to  a  depth 
of  200'  in  this  sandstone,  and  that  it  yielded  more  than  1  bbl.  of  oil  a 
day.  In  December,  1896,  this  well  was  full  of  sulphureted  water,  on 
the  surface  of  which  there  was  a  slight  showing  of  oil. 

The  above-mentioned  sandstone  stratum  is  much  fractured,  and, 
except  where  it  is  broken  by  a  fault,  the  dip  is  about  S.  30°  E.,  at  an 
angle  of  75°.  Near  the  well,  the  sandstone  contains  numerous  speci- 
mens of  Aucella. 

Another  seepage  of  oil  was  observed  in  the  creek-bed,  in  the  N.E.  ^ 
of  Sec.  34.     At  this  point,  the  formation  is  sandstone,  and  the  angle  of 

* 

the  dip  decreases  about  35°.     It  is  said  that  a  small  amount  of  coal  is 
found  in  this  sandstone. 

A  short  distance  farther  southward,  the  sandstone  dips  to  the  north- 
east, at  an  angle  of  about  85°.  Farther  down  Bear  Creek,  the  exposed 
rocks  are  for  the  most  part  serpentine.  As  this  creek  enters  Section  35, 
it  has  a  general  course  of  about  S.  80°  E.,  and  the  rocks  are  obscured  by 
earth  and  drift. 

10.2.7.  Still  farther  down  Bear  Creek,  near  the  S.E.  corner  of  Sec.  35, 
strata  of  sandstone  and  impure  limestone  dip  N.  23°  E.  at  an  angle 
of  about  70°,  and  gas  bubbles  up  in  the  creek  at  several  places.  Near 
the  S.E.  corner  of  Sec.  35,  there  are  seepages  of  petroleum,  and  some 
work,  consisting  of  open  cuts,  pits,  and  tunnels,  has  been  done  by  Mr. 
J.  P.  Rathburn  of  the  village  of  Williams.  Most  of  these  workings  are 
in  the  serpentine  drift  which  covers  the  stratified  rocks.  From  one  of 
these  openings  a  small  quantity  of  petroleum  and  mineral  water  was 
running  into  a  trough.  Samples  of  petroleum  were  obtained  from  this 
trough,  and  from  the  surface  of  the  water  which  had  collected  in  the 
workings.  The  petroleum  in  the  trough  had  been  exposed  to  the  weather 
for  a  long  time,  and  had  thrown  down  a  flocculent  precipitate,  resem- 
bling the  sludge,  or  b.  s.,  found  in  petroleum  from  other  localities.  No 
signs  of  asphaltum  were  seen  on  Bear  Creek. 

Samples  of  this  petroleum  and  precipitate  were  examined  by  the  writer 
in  the  laboratory  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau.  The  results  of  this  exami- 
nation are  given  in  Chapter  5,  Part  12,  of  this  Bulletin.  When  the  floc- 
culent precipitate  above  mentioned  was  heated,  it  separated  into  water, 
oil,  and  earthy  or  organic  matter.  ^ 


HUMBOLDT   COUNTY.  161 

In  September,  1900,  the  following  companies  were  drilling  in  Colusa 
County: 

10.2.8.  Herron  Oil  Company  (of  Los  Angeles)  has  one  well  in  the 
S.E.  i  of  Sec.  35,  T.  14  N.,  R.  5  W.,  M.  D.  M.  Formation:  Serpentine 
(loose  rocks)  to  100';  shale  to  800'.  Some  oil  was  obtained,  apparently 
seepage,  from  the  serpentine.     Drilling. 

10.2.9.  Gorrell  &  Smith  Oil  Company  has  a  543'  well  in  the  S.E.  :f  of 
Sec.  7,  T.  13  N.,  R.  3  W.,  M.  D.  M. 


CHAPTER  3. 
HUMBOLDT  COUNTY. 

By  F.  M.  Anderson,  C.E. 

10.3.1.  The  existence  of  oil  in  Humboldt  County  has  been  known 
from  an  early  date.  A  full  account  of  the  attempts  made  here  in 
1865-67  will  be  found  in  the  Vllth  Report  of  the  State  Mineralogist, 
pages  195-202.  According  to  the  author,  Mr.  Adolph  H.  Weber,  no  less 
than  twenty-five  wells  were  sunk  at  that  date,  but  the  total  amount  of 
oil  produced  by  any  of  them  did  not  exceed  100  bbls.,  which  was  the 
quantity  taken  from  the  Union  well  on  the  north  fork  of  the  Mattole 
River.  Smaller  quantities  were  taken  from  other  wells,  but  all  of  them 
had  to  be  pumped.  The  abandonment  of  these  prospects  at  that  date  is 
said  to  be  largely  due  to  the  views  held  at  the  Land  Office  regarding 
location  of  these  lands. 

The  oil-bearing  formation  is  stated  by  Mr.  Weber  to  be  a  close-grained, 
light-gray  sandstone,  overlain  by  bluish  clay-shales. 

A  feebler  effort  was  made  in  1892-93,  but  little  or  no  success  was 
attained,  for  reasons  that  will  appear  later. 

A  third  and  more  promising  effort  to  obtain  oil  in  paying  quantities 
has  been  more  recently  made  and  is  now  in  active  progress.  During 
the  spring  and  summer  of  1900  no  less  than  six  companies  began  opera- 
tions in  southwestern  Humboldt  County  in  search  of  oil.  At  the  date 
of  this  report  (September,  1900)  only  three  companies  were  actually 
drilling,  and  only  one  had  reached  any  considerable  depth. 

10.3.2.  The  Mackintosh  Well,  situated  on  the  Cook  ranch  (Sec.  29, 
T.  1  S.,  R.  2  W.),  is  being  drilled  by  Mr.  A.  Mackintosh  under  a  term 
lease.  It  is  on  a  low  ridge  separating  the  two  branches  of  McNutt 
Gulch,  near  the  site  of  the  old  Muldrow  well  of  1865.  The  present  well 
has  reached  a  depth  of  more  than  1200',  passing  mainly  through  blue  and 
yellow  clay-shales  and  sandstone,  which  are  at  intervals  more  or  less 

11— Bl9 


162  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

bituminous,  but  not  yet  sufficiently  so  to  be  profitably  productive.  The 
present  capacity  of  the  well  does  not  probably  exceed  2  bbls.  per  day, 
but  it  is  expected  that  with  greater  depth  more  productive  strata  will 
be  reached.  Oil  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  300'  and  again  at  1100',  from 
which  depth  the  greater  portion  is  believed  to  come.  The  oil  is  of  good 
quality,  having  a  specific  gravity  of  0.860  and  from  33°  to  34°  B. 

10.3.3.  The  Craig  Well,  situated  on  the  lower  north  fork  of  the  Mattole 
River,  near  the  site  of  the  old  Union  well  (Sec.  30,  T.  1  S.,  R.  1.  W.),  is 
being  drilled  under  a  contract  by  Mr.  Allen  Craig,  as  directed  under  the 
management  of  Major  Bulyer  and  others.  The  present  depth  is  about 
300'.     The  formation  is  mainly  sandstone. 

10.3.4.  The  Humboldt  Oil  Company,  consisting  of  Dr.  E.  L.  Dow, 
A.  F.  Coffin,  and  others,  has  drilled  to  a  depth  of  nearly  200'  on  a  tributary 
of  the  Mattole  known  as  Buckeye  Creek  (Sec.  6,  T.  2  S.,  R.  1  W.).  The 
formation  is  mainly  sandstone  and  shale,  no  bituminous  strata  having 
yet  been  reached. 

10.3.5.  Other  companies  actually  making  preparations  for  drilling 
are  as  follows  :  T.  L.  Reed  &  Co.  have  two  derricks  in  progress  of  erection, 
with  proper  equipments  (Sees.  14  and  24,  T.  1  S.,  R.  2  W.);  the  Wild 
Goose  Company  (Kroeger,  Coffin,  Dow,  and  others)  is  erecting  a  der- 
rick at  Joel's  Flat,  near  the  site  of  a  former  somewhat  productive  well 
(Sec.  15,  T.  1  S.,  R.  2  W.);  and  the  Mattole  Paraffin  Company,  includ- 
ing the  firm  of  Baker  &  Hamilton,  is  erecting  a  derrick,  with  equipments, 
on  the  upper  north  fork  of  the  Mattole  (Sec.  2,  T.  3  S.,  R.  1  W.).  All 
of  these  and  still  other  companies  have  secured  leases  or  other  titles  to 
large  and  desirable  tracts  of  land  in  the  Mattole  Valley  for  the  purpose 
of  thorough  prospecting. 

10.3.6.  Extent  of  Oil  Lands. — The  true  extent  of  the  territory  in  Hum- 
boldt County  that  might  be  classed  as  oil-lands  is  very  vaguely  known. 
At  present,  the  chief  district  is  that  of  the  Mattole  Valley.  Promising 
indications  have  been  recognized  along  the  Bear  River,  at  Oil  Creek, 
Ferndale,  Scotia,  and  Eureka.  In  fact,  much  of  the  southwestern  por- 
tion of  the  county  is  known  to  be  underlain  by  more  or  less  bituminous 
strata. 

This  belt  extends  along  the  southern  coast  of  the  county  for  a  distance 
of  60  miles  or  more,  and  with  an  average  width  of  12  or  15  miles.  The 
belt  consists  chiefly  or  entirely  of  Neocene  strata,  the  upper  portions  of 
Avhich  include  the  Wild  Cat  series  of  Prof.  A.  C.  Lawson,  which  is  usu- 
ally fossiliferous.  The  lower  portions  consist  of  yellow  or  blue  sand- 
stones and  shales,  with  some  interstratified  beds  of  chert  and  limestone. 
No  recognizable  fossils  have  yet  been  found  by  which  their  age  can  be 
certainly  determined,  but  their  general  aspect,  situation,  and  bituminous 
character  lead  to  the  belief  that  they  are  not  older  than  the  Miocene. 
The  oil-bearing  members  of  the  series  are  moderately  fine-grained  sand- 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY.  163 

stones,  often  loose  and  porous  in  texture,  but  also  occasionally  pretty 
hard.  Where  fresh  and  bituminous  samples  of  the  rock  are  to  be  seen 
it  is  dark  in  color,  but  bleaches  in  the  weather  to  a  light-gray  or  yellow- 
ish sandstone.  It  often  contains  lenses  or  strata  of  pebbly  sandstone  or 
conglomerate.  No  satisfactory  section  of  the  series  has  yet  been  made. 
10  3.7.  Structural  Featxires  of  the  District. — The  geological  structure 
of  this  belt  is  not  very  simple.  A  great  deal  of  faulting  has  broken  the 
country  into  numerous  blocks  that  have  on  the  whole  something  of  a 
systematic  arrangement.  Most  of  the  topographical  features  of  the 
countr}''  trend  northwesterly.  The  more  conspicuous  fault-lines  have  a 
similar  course,  though  they  are  often  sinuous  and  not  easily  followed  for 
a  great  distance.  Transverse  faulting  is  common,  though  less  pro- 
nounced. Most  of  the  faulting  appears  to  be  normal.  The  inclination 
of  these  fault-blocks  is  not  regular;  in  many  of  them  the  strata  dip 
toward  the  southwest,  or  westerly,  and  in  some  cases  they  dip  in  other 
directions.  It  is  stated  by  local  observers  that  everything  dips  south- 
westerly or  in  the  opposite  direction.  There  are  several  prominent  lines 
or  zones  of  faulting,  some  of  which  deserve  to  be  mentioned. 

10.3.8.  The  Mattole  Valley,  which  contains  the  field  most  prospected 
for  oil  at  the  present,  is  evidently  a  structural  valley,  developed  by 
normal  faulting.  To  one  unfamiliar  with  the  structural  features  of  the 
county  its  existence  is  a  surprise.  It  is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  hills 
that  attain  a  general  elevation  of  nearly  2500',  among  which  it  has  been 
sunk  to  a  general  level  of  200'  to  800'.  Even  along  the  coast  it  is  shut 
off  from  the  sea  by  a  comparatively  high  and  narrow  line  of  hills.  The 
river  passes  from  the  valley  to  the  ocean  through  a  narrow  gorge  in  this 
breastwork  of  ridges.  Two  chief  lines  of  faulting  run  somewhat  parallel 
in  a  southeasterly  direction  from  the  coast  and  determine  the  trend  and, 
in  part,  the  borders  of  the  valle3\  One  of  these  lines  follows  the  north- 
ern border,  and  is  in  evidence  along  the  southern  face  of  the  hills 
3  miles  north  of  Petrolia.  The  other  line  lies  nearly  as  far  south  of  the 
town  and  is  perhaps  followed  by  the  upper  portion  of  Squaw  Creek 
Valley.  Fault-lines  intermediate  between  these  two  are  easily  found. 
In  some  places  sharp  folds  in  the  strata  are  to  be  seen  which  have  left 
the  beds  in  a  steeply  inclined  position.  The  structural  conditions  of 
the  country,  which  are  always  important  in  an  oil-district,  ought 
especially  to  be  studied  here,  and  it  is  to  the  interest  of  the  count)''  as 
well  as  to  prospecting  companies  to  secure  a  clear  statement  of  these 
facts  by  a  competent  expert  early  in  the  history  of  prospecting  for  oil. 

10.3.9.  Evidences  of  Petroleum. — There  are  many  proofs  of  the  pres- 
ence of  oil  in  this  district,  chief  among  which  are  the  oil-springs  and 
seepages  and  vents  of  the  hydrocarbon  gases  everywhere  known.  These 
"indications"  fall  into  line  in  their  distribution,  forming  two  or  three 
well-marked  zones  traversing  the  country  in  a  southwesterly  direction. 


164  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

This  fact  has  led  to  the  general  recognition  of  as  many  distinct  "  oil- 
belts  "  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Mattole  and  Bear  rivers.  A  cursory 
examination  of  the  country  makes  it  apparent  that  these  lines  agree 
with  the  principal  fault-lines  already  described.  Connected  with  nearly 
all  the  springs  of  oil  or  gas  there  are  more  or  less  clearly  recognizable 
evidences  of  faulting.  This  is  expressed  either  in  the  presence  of 
escarpments,  often  somewhat  reduced  by  erosion,  or  in  the  highly  tilted 
and  broken  strata  which  in  some  cases  are  even  brecciated.  This  is  true 
at  the  "  Osborne  Spring,"  where  brecciated  sandstone  forms  a  portion  of 
the  very  steep  slope  of  the  hill  that  marks  the  position  of  a  transverse 
fault.  The  brecciated  appearance  of  the  rock  here  has  led  some  to  sup- 
pose that  the  oil-bearing  strata  were  pebbly  sandstone.  Similar  facts 
are  observed  along  Bear  River,  at  the  Morrison  ranch,  and  elsewhere,  the 
"  Guptell  Spring "  being  apparently  situated  on  a  line  of  faulting. 
Some  of  these  springs  afford  a  few  gallons  of  oil  per  week  for  a  portion 
of  the  year,  but  most  of  them  are  small  seepages.  Gas  springs  are  fairly 
common,  particularly  along  Bear  River,  and  at  other  points  farther 
north.  At  Briceland,  near  the  head  of  Mattole  Valley,  some  25  miles 
southeast  of  Petrolia,  natural  gas  from  a  well  drilled  for  oil  is  used  for 
light  and  fuel.  Gas,  and  petroleum,  too,  have  been  struck  in  the  deep 
borings  for  water  in  the  town  of  Eureka.  Other  places  still  farther 
north  are  reported  to  afford  indications,  but  they  are  not  well  known. 
It  is  stated  that  at  the  present  time  over  12,000  acres  of  land  in  southern 
Humboldt  County  are  filed  on  as  "  mineral  locations." 

10.3.10.  Character  of  the  Oil. — As  to  the  character  of  the  oil  found 
in  the  seepages  and  in  the  wells,  it  may  be  said  that  it  has  generally 
been  pronounced  to  be  of  superior  quality.  It  is  claimed  that  the  oil 
from  the  "  Osborne  Spring,"  which  is  of  unusual  quality,  has  often  been 
used  for  lighting  in  ordinary  lamps.  It  is  a  dichroic  oil,  showing  con- 
siderable fluorescence,  appearing  of  a  reddish  amber  color  in  transmitted 
light,  while  in  reflected  light  it  is  a  dark  olive-green.  It  has  a  density 
of  30°  B.  and  a  specific  gravity  of  0.875. 

Most  of  the  seepage  oils  are  similar,  but  are  usually  darker  and 
thicker,  with  a  greater  specific  gravity.  Oil  from  the  Mackintosh  well 
is  considerably  darker  in  color,  being  translucent  only  in  thin  films, 
with  a  density  of  33°  to  34°  B.,  and  with  a  gravity  of  0.860.  Upon 
exposure  to  air  it  becomes  still  darker  in  color  and  loses  much  of  its 
fluidity  by  the  volatilization  of  some  of  its  lighter  ingredients.  The 
oils  of  this  district  differ  from  those  of  other  sections  of  California  in 
the  fact  that  they  contain  a  smaller  percentage  of  asphalt  bases  and  a 
relatively  larger  percentage  of  paraffin. 

10.3.11.  Promise  of  the  District. — From  what  has  already  been  said, 
the  apparent  promise  of  this  district  may  be  inferred.  The  presence  of 
oil  cannot  of  course  be  doubted,  but  it  yet  remains  to  be  demonstrated 


HUMBOLDT    COUNTY.  165 

whether  it  can  be  found  in  payin;^  quantities.  No  attempt  has  yet  been 
made  to  ascertain  the  facts  available  to  scientific  search  in  answer  to 
this  question.  As  usual,  prospecting  has  been  carried  on  without  any 
study  of  the  field  by  a  geologist  competent  to  give  it  direction.  Among 
the  things  which  such  an  investigator  would  deem  desirable  to  know 
and  which  his  science  would  enable  him  to  discover  are  two  of  para- 
mount importance:  (1)  What  is  the  character,  richness,  and  extent  of 
the  oil-bearing  strata?  (2)  What  are  the  structural  peculiarities  of  the 
country?  And  considering  the  present  stage  of  development  of  this 
district,  the  question  might  be  subjoined:  If  oil  exists  in  paying  quan- 
tities, why  has  it  not  been  reached  by  the  drill? 

No  satisfactory  answer  to  these  questions  can  be  made  in  this  report, 
but  a  few  impressions  may  be  worth  recording.  Concerning  the  first 
question,  it  is  commonly  believed  that  the  oil-bearing  strata  are  mainly 
of  close-grained  sandstone,  often  quite  hard,  and  existing  in  compara- 
tively thin  beds.  No  attempt  has  been  made  to  determine  their  real 
extent  or  to  learn  their  aggregate  thickness.  Alternating  beds  of  sand- 
stone and  shale  is  the  rule  in  parts  of  the  series.  The  whole  series  of 
strata  ought  to  be  better  known.  Close-grained  rock  is  not  the  most 
favorable  for  containing  oil. 

One  often  hears  in  this  district  the  fear  expressed  that  the  country  is 
"  too  much  broken."  Faulting  is  indeed  common,  but  it  is  less  frequent 
than  is  generally  believed.  It  follows  chiefly  a  few  prominent  zones 
trending  southeasterly  through  the  country.  Most  of  the  seepages  of 
oil  and  gaseous  emissions  are  along  these  lines  of  faulting.  Most,  if  not 
all,  of  the  well's  thus  far  sunk  are  comparatively  near  the  seepages,  and 
consequently  along  the  lines  of  faulting.  For  several  reasons  such  a 
location  for  a  well  is  not  the  most  favorable,  although  the  seepages  seem 
to  indicate  the  presence  of  oil  at  such  points.  It  ought  to  be  remem- 
bered, however,  that  if  the  vents  opened  by  faulting  or  otherwise  are  of 
long  duration  the  oils  from  their  vicinity  may  have  been  largely  drained 
off,  and  are  therefore  no  longer  available.  A  better  location  would  be  at 
a  point  somewhat  removed  from  such  faulting,  other  things  being  equal. 
It  is  possible,  if  not  probable,  that  paying  quantities  of  oil  have  not  yet 
been  reached  only  because  wells  have  so  far  been  sunk  in  exhausted 
portions  of  the  field.  Similar  observations  have  been  recorded  for  other 
districts  of  California  in  former  years.  In  the  Vllth  Report  of  the  State 
Mineralogist,  page  41,  Mr.  W.  A.  Goodyear  remarks:  "It  was  believed 
in  the  early  days  of  our  petroleum  excitement  that  where  oil  was  found 
upon  the  surface,  or  seen  issuing  from  the  ground,  such  points  were  the 
proper  places  to  sink  for  the  reservoirs;  but  experience  has  taught  us 
the  fallacy  of  early  convictions,  as  the  present  producing  wells  have 
demonstrated.  In  passing  over  our  oil-belt  it  is  noticeable  that  nearly 
all  the  earlier  workings,  afterward  abandoned,  were  in  close  proximity 


166  CALIFORNIA    STATE   JOINING   BUREAU. 

to  the  exudations,  or  in  ravines."  Such  statements,  if  true,  ought  not 
to  be  ignored  in  any  district.  Something  like  a  recognition  of  such 
principles  is  contained  in  the  common  belief  that  a  "much-broken" 
country  is  not  favorable  for  oil  in  large  quantities.  On  the  whole,  it 
may  be  truthfully  said  that  the  best  success  in  reaching  oil  in  this  dis- 
trict in  commercial  quantities  will  be  attained  by  the  employment  of 
some  one  able  to  interpret  the  indications  and  the  structure  of  the 
country  correctly,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  detailed  report  upon  it. 


CHAPTER  4. 


NAPA   COUNTY. 

PETROLEUM. 

10.4.1.  Mount  Shasta  Oil  and  Development  Company  (J.  E.  Finnell, 
president)  has  an  oil-spring  in  the  N.E.'  i  of  Sec.  32,  T.  10  N.,  R.  3  W., 
M.  D.  M.,  on  the  western  slope  of  the  Blue  Mountain  range,  about 
6  miles  northeast  of  Monticello,  on  property  owned  by  Mrs.  Harris. 
Elevation,  about  1000'.  The  spring  occurs  in  a  fissure  in  blue  sandstone 
resting  on  dark-colored  shale.  Gas  issues  from  an  orifice  in  the  sand- 
stone about  2'  from  the  mouth  of  the  oil-spring.  The  flow  of  oil  is 
intermittent,  and  is  accompanied  with  water.  The  spring  produces 
about  4  gals,  of  oil  in  twenty-four  hours.  The  oil  is  said  to  be  an 
excellent  lubricant.  An  analysis  by  Mr.  Krutzman,  chemist  to  the 
Pacific  Refining  and  Roofing  Company,  gives  the  following  : 

Analysis  of  Oil  from  Berryessa  Valley,  Napa  County. 

Specific  gravity  of  crude  oil _    0.9642.  Viscosity,  4.87 

Light  lubricating  oil 24%  "  2.91 

Heavy  lubricating  oil 22%  "        28.80 

Gas  oil 32% 

Residue 18% 

96% 
Asphalt  in  residue,  3.66%  ;  sulphur,  no  trace. 

The  Harris  Caiion,  in  which  the  oil-spring  is  located,  runs  nearly  east 
and  west  from  its  mouth  to  the  site  of  the  spring.  The  formation  con- 
sists of  alternate  strata  of  shale  and  grayish  sandstone.  The  strike  is 
northwest  and  southeast,  and  the  angle  of  the  dip  varies  from  55°  to  80°. 

It  is  said  that  at  the  quicksilver  mine  at  Knoxville,  22  miles  north,  a 
seepage  of  similar  oil  occurred  between  the  300'  and  400'  levels,  and 
that  the  oil  was  used  for  lubricating  the  machinery  at  the  mine. 


PIPE-LINES.  167 


P^^I^T   11. 


PIPE-LINES  AND  REFINERIES. 


CHAPTER  1. 


PIPE-LINES. 


11.1.1.  It  has  long  been  known  that  tables  which  supply  information 
concerning  the  transmission  of  water  through  pipe-lines  are  not  appli- 
cable to  the  conveyance  of  oil  by  pipe-lines.  Since  the  publication  of 
Bulletin  No.  11  the  writer  has  received  numerous  inquiries  concerning 
this  subject.  The  data  he  has  obtained  on  this  important  question  are 
therefore  placed  in  one  chapter,  in  the  hope  that  some  idea  as  to  the 
conveyance  of  California  oil  by  pipe-line  may  be  gathered  therefrom. 

11.1.2.  Central  Oil  Company. — The  oil  from  the  wells  of  this  com- 
pany is  conveyed  by  pipe-line  to  Los  Nietos,  on  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad, 
a  distance  of  about  4f  miles.  It  is  a  4"  pipe-line,  and  has  a  head  of 
700'.  Along  its  course  there  are  no  undulations  which  exceed  25'  in 
variation  of  altitude.  At  a  temperature  of  about  65°  F.  this  pipe-line 
discharges  at  the  rate  of  about  60  bbls.  an  hour.  The  gravity  of  the 
oil  is  about  21°  B. 

11.1.3.  Oil  City  {Fresno  County)  Pipe-Line. — This  line  conveys  the 
oil  from  the  Oil  City  wells  to  Ora  Station  on  the  S.  P.  R.  R.  This  is  a 
3"  line.  It  is  8^  miles  in  length;  the  difference  in  elevation  between 
the  head  and  point  of  discharge  is  600'.  The  gravity  of  the  oil  is  33°  B. 
An  experiment  of  ten  hours'  duration  showed  that  the  oil  could  be  dis- 
charged at  the  rate  of  125  bbls.  an  hour,  the  temperature  of  the  oil  being 
about  60°  F.  In  hot  weather  the  discharge  is  less  and  irregular,  owing 
to  the  gas  generating  in  the  pipe-line,  which  collects  at  the  high  points 
and  retards  the  flow.  When  the  pipe-line  was  first  laid  it  was  above 
ground,  and  the  retardation  of  the  flow  in  the  summer  time  amounted 
to  25  bbls.  an  hour.  Subsequently  the  pipe-line  was  covered  with  earth, 
and  the  retardation  of  the  flow  was  made  less. 

11.1.4.  Puente  Oil  Company.— The  pipe-line  of  this  company  extends 
from  their  wells  in  the  Puente  Hills  to  their  refinery  at  Chino,  a  dis- 
tance of  15  miles.     It  is  a  5"  pipe-line,  and  the  head  is  about  700'. 


168  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

The  gravity  of  the  oil  averages  33°  B.  The  discharge  is  about  1  bbl.  a 
minute  at  a  temperature  of  60'^  F.  Along  this  line  there  are  several 
undulations,  some  of  which  show  a  variation  in  altitude  of  more  than 
100'. 

11.1.5.  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company. — The  pipe-line  of  this  company 
conveys  the  oil  from  their  wells  in  Pico  Canon,  Los  Angeles  Count}'^,  to 
the  seashore  at  Ventura,  in  Ventura  County,  a  distance  of  44  miles. 
For  20  miles  from  the  wells,  the  line  is  2"  pipe,  and  from  that  point  to 
Ventura,  a  distance  of  24  miles,  it  is  3"  pipe.  The  head  is  about  1900'. 
The  greatest  undulation  is  about  200',  and  for  nearly  the  entire  dis- 
tance the  grade  is  uniform  and  nearly  level.  This  pipe  discharges  by 
gravity  at  the  rate  of  25  bbls.  an  hour  at  a  temperature  of  65°  F.  The 
gravity  of  the  oil  is  about  41.5°  B.  The  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company 
has  also  a  pipe-line  extending  from  their  wells  in  Pico  Cailon  to  the 
railroad  at  Newhall.  This  line  is  about  7  miles  long,  and  is  of  2"  pipe. 
It  has  a  head  of  about  600',  and  at  a  temperature  of  about  65°  F.  it  will 
discharge  by  gravity  at  the  rate  of  about  30  bbls.  an  hour. 

11.1.6.  Sunset  Oil  Company  (of  Ventura  County). — The  pipe-line  of 
this  company  conveys  the  oil  from  their  wells  in  Hopper  Canon  to  Buck- 
horn  Station  on  the  Santa  Barbara  branch  of  the  S.  P.  R.  R.,  Ventura 
County.  This  is  a  2"  pipe-line,  and  about  5  miles  long.  It  has  been 
laid  with  no  regard  to  hydraulic  grade.  It  has  a  head  of  about  500', 
and  along  its  course  there  are  no  undulations  in  which  the  difference  of 
altitude  is  more  than  50'.  The  oil  is  about  12°  B.,  and  is  mixed  with 
about  equal  volumes  of  water.  The  water  and  oil  pass  through  the 
pipe-line  in  a  rotating  column,  the  oil  forming  a  core  in  the  center  of 
the  column.  In  summer  time  the  discharge  from  the  end  of  this  pipe 
at  Buckhorn  is  about  250  bbls.  in  twelve  hours ;  in  winter  time,  250 
bbls.  in  eighteen  hours. 

11.1.7.  Union  Oil  Company  (of  Santa  Paula). — The  oil  from  the 
various  oil-fields  owned  and  controlled  by  this  company  is  conducted  by 
pipe-lines  to  a  trunk  line  in  the  Santa  Clara  Valley  by  which  the  oil  is 
conveyed  to  the  seashore  at  the  mouth  of  the  Sespe  River.  It  is  a  4" 
line,  and  is  about  25  miles  in  length,  although  the  distance  between 
Santa  Paula  and  Ventura  is  less  than  20  miles  in  an  air  line.  The 
feeders  are  usually  2"  and  3"  pipe.  The  total  length  of  pipe-line  belong- 
ing to  the  Union  Oil  Company's  pipe-line  system  in  Ventura  County  is 
said  to  be  100  miles.  No  particulars  could  be  obtained  about  the  rate 
of  discharge.  The  facts  relating  to  the  following  interesting  experiment 
were  kindly  furnished  by  Mr.  Lyman  Stewart,  president  of  the  Union 
Oil  Company:  Several  years  ago,  oil  from  the  Astarte  wells  in  the  Sisar 
Canon,  Ventura  County,  was  conveyed  by  a  2"  pipe-line  to  a  tank  in  the 
Santa  Paula  Canon,  a  distance  of  3  miles,  with  a  fall  of  300'.  The  oil 
had  a  gravity  of  about  13°  B.,  and  at  a  temperature  of  60°  F.  the  dis- 


PIPE-LINES,  169 

charge  by  gravity  was  at  the  rate  of  20  bbls.  in  twenty-four  hours.  As 
an  experiment  the  oil  in  the  pipe-line  was  placed  under  a  pressure  of 
800  lbs.  to  the  square  inch,  but  the  discharge  was  only  increased  to  24 
bbls.  in  twenty-four  hours.  When  the  pressure  was  increased  it  burst 
the  pipe-line. 

11.1.8.  Union  Oil  Companyh  Pipe-Line  at  Los  Angeles. — The  pipe-line 
of  the  Union  Oil  Company  extends  from  First  and  Lake  Shore  streets, 
in  the  Los  Angeles  oil-field,  to  Palmetto  and  San  Mateo  streets,  on  the 
S.  P.  R.  R.,  a  distance  of  about  4  miles.  It  is  a  4"  line,  and  the  course 
followed  is  undulating.  The  gravity  of  the  oil  is  14^  B.  It  is  forced 
through  the  pipe-line  under  a  pressure  of  600  lbs.  Some  trouble  is 
experienced  from  the  sand  which  the  oil  contains  accumulating  in  low 
places  in  the  pipe-line.  In  summer  the  discharge  from  this  line  is 
about  800  bbls.  in  twenty-four  hours;   in  winter,  about  one  third  less. 

The  pipe-line  of  the  Union  Oil  Company  in  Orange  Coimty  extends 
from  the  Fullerton  oil-field  to  Bixby,  a  distance  of  26  miles.  This  is  a 
4"  line  and  has  a  head  of  450'.  The  gravity  of  the  oil  which  runs 
through  this  line  averages  21°  B.,  and  at  a  temperature  of  about  65°  F. 
the  rate  of  discharge  is  about  2000  bbls.  in  twenty-four  hours. 

11.1.9.  Alcatraz  Refinery  Pipe-Line. — This  line  conveys  a  solution  of 
asphaltum  dissolved  in  distillate  from  the  mines  of  bituminous  sand- 
stone at  Sisquoc  to  the  company's  refinery  at  Alcatraz  Landing,  Santa 
Barbara  County.  The  length  of  the  pipe-line  is  about  37  miles;  diam- 
eter of  the  pipe,  3".  The  difference  in  elevation  between  Sisquoc  and 
Alcatraz  Landing  is  1900'.  Along  the  pipe-line  there  are  several  undu- 
lations, one  of  which  shows  a  difference  in  elevation  of  about  1000'. 
The  gravity  of  the  solution  is  about  25°  B. 

The  following  interesting  data  concerning  the  rate  of  discharge  from 
a  pipe-line  in  the  Eastern  States  were  furnished  the  writer  by  Mr.  Lyman 
Stewart  of  the  Union  Oil  Company :  There  was  a  4"  pipe-line  running 
from  Duke  Center,  Pennsylvania,  to  Olean,  in  New  York,  a  distance  of 
about  13  miles.  The  course  is  undulating,  and  the  line  ran  over  hills 
about  900'  higher  than  the  pumping  station.  Oil  having  a  gravity  of 
47°  B.  was  transmitted  through  this  pipe-line  under  a  pressure  of  about 
1150  lbs.,  the  discharge  being  at  the  rate  of  15,000  bbls,  of  oil  in  twenty- 
four  hours. 

11.1.10.  The  Modelo  Oil  Company's  Pipe-Line. — It  extends  between 
the  Modelo  oil-wells  and  the  railroad  at  Piru,  Ventura  County.  This  is 
a  2"  pipe-line  and  is  about  3  miles  in  length  ;  the  difference  in  elevation 
between  the  head  and  the  point  of  discharge  is  about  800'.  The  gravity 
of  the  oil  is  28°  B. 

11.1.11.  Some  information  concerning  the  discharge  of  oil  through 
pipe-lines  can  be  gathered  from  the  following  tables  : 


170 


CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


DISCHARGE  OF  OIL  BY  GRAVITY. 


Pipe-Lines. 

So 
■5  "2. 

go 

CD   i-n 

CD  CD 

1     »-^ 
1      CD 
1      •-* 

1   o 

1      *~** 

Spec.  Grav- 
ity of  Oil . 

Head. 

J*  CD 

1.  *~i 

'■     ? 

Rate  of  Dis- 
charge in 
24  Hours.. 

Remarks. 

Central  Oil  Co.'s  pipe- 
line 

Miles. 
4.65 

Inches. 
4 

21°    B. 

Feet. 
700 

65°  F. 

Bbls. 
1440 

No  great  undu- 
lations. 

Between  Central  Oil 
"Wells   and  Los  Nie- 
tos,      Los      Angeles 
County. 

Union  Oil  Co.'s  pipe- 
line  

Between         Astarte 
Wells     and      Santa 
Paula,  Ventura  Co. 

3.00 

2 

13°    B. 

300 

60°  F. 

20 

No  great  undu- 
lations. 

Union  Oil  Co.'s  pipe- 
line   

26.00 

4 

21°    B. 

450 

65°  F. 

2000 

No  great  undu- 
lations. 

In   Orange    County, 
between      FuUerton 
oil-field  and  Bixby. 

Sunset  Oil  Co.'s  pipe- 
line  

Bet.    Sunset    Wells 
and  Buckhorn  R.  R. 
Station,  Ventura  Co. 

Pipe-line  between  Oil 
Citv  and  Ora  Siding 
on 'the  S.  P.  R.  R., 
Fresno  County 

5.00 
8.50 

2 
3 

12°    B. 
33°    B. 

500 
600 

75°  F. 
in  sum- 
mer, 
60°  F. 
in  win- 
ter. 

60°  F. 

500 
350 

3000 

No  great  undu- 
lations. Oil 
mixed  with 
about  equal 
volume  of  wa- 
ter. 

No  great  undu- 
lations. 

Several  undu- 
lations, some 
of  which  dif- 
fer in  eleva- 
tion more 
than  100'. 

Grade  fairly 
uniform.  Un- 
dulations dif- 
fer 200'. 

Puente  Oil  Co.'s  pipe- 
line  

Bet.    Puente    Wells 
Los  Angeles  County, 
and  Chino,  San  Ber- 
nardino County. 

Pacific  Coast  Oil  Co.'s 
pipe-line .. 

15.00 
44.00 

5 
(a) 

33°    B. 
41.5°  B. 

700 
1900 

60°  F. 
65°  F. 

1440 
700 

Between  Pico  Caiion 
and    Ventura,   Ven- 
tura County. 

Pacific  Coast  Oil  Co.'s 
pipe-line- 

7.00 

2 

41.5°  B. 

600 

65°  F. 

600 

Between  Pico  Cafion 
and    Newhall,     Los 
Angeles  County. 

Alcatraz  Refining  Co.'s 

pipe-line 

Conveying      asphal- 
tum     "solution      be- 
tween Sisquoc  mines 
and  Alcatraz   Land- 
ing,  Santa    Barbara 
County. 

37.00 

3 

25°    B. 

1900 

65°  F. 

Along  pipe-line 
several  undu- 
lations show 
variation  in 
elevation  of 
1000'. 

(a)  For  1  to  20  miles  the  diameter  of  pipe-line  is  2";  for  remaining  distance  it  is  3". 


PETROLEUM    REFINERIES. 


171 


DISCHARGE  OF  OIL 

UNDER  PRESSURE. 

f 

o 

CB 

K 

.     > 

ITJ 

W 

Name  of  Company. 

h32 

»2. 

►—50 

"SB 

;  (S 

■  •-) 

;  o 

2.1 

O" 

p 
a. 

p  p  r  0  X  i- 
mate  Tem- 
perature .- 

at 

C 
CO 

1 
1 

ate  of  Dis- 
charge in 
24  Hours.. 

Remarks. 

Miles. 

/n. 

i<'eei. 

i6s. 

Bbls. 

\ 

Union  Oil  Co.,  pipe-line 
at  Los  Angeles 

4.00 

4 

14°  B 

200 

70°  F. 

600 

800 

Course   undulat- 

ing. 

Union  Oil  Co.,  Astarte 

wells, Ventura  County. 

3.00 

2 

13°  B 

300 

60°  F. 

800 

27 

No  great  undu- 
lation. 

Discharge  of  Eastern  Oil  Under  Pressure. 


Pipe-line  running  from 
Duke  Center,  Pa.,  to 
Clean,  N,  Y 


13.00 


47°  B 


900 


60°  F. 


1150 


1500 


CHAPTER  2. 


PETROLEUM  REFINERIES.* 

11.2.1.  American  Oil  and  Asphalt  Company  (q!  Los  Angeles)  has  a 
refinery  at  Date  and  Alhambra  streets.  Plant  consists  of  two  300-bbl. 
and  three  125-bbl.  stills;  tankage  for  crude  oil,  2300  bbls.  Product: 
stove  distillate,  32°  B.;  distillate  for  spraying  trees,  28°  B.;  fuel  distil- 
late, 22°  B.;  asphaltum.     Fifteen  men  are  employed. 

11.2.2.  Asphaltum  and  Oil  Refinery  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  E.  D. 
Roberts,  president)  has  a  refinery  at  Ninth  Street  and  Santa  Fe  Railroad 
track.  Plant  consists  of  two  150-bbl.  stills,  one  55-bbl.  still,  and  one 
25-bbl.  still.  Product:  gasoline,  gasoline-engine  distillate,  illuminating, 
neutral,  and  fuel  oils. 

11.2.3.  The  Franklin  Refining  Company  (of  Los  Angeles;  E.  H. 
Dunham,  president)  has  a  refinery  at  1504  Newton  Street.  Plant:  one 
300-bbl.  still,  four  100-bbl.  stills,  and  three  50-bbl.  stills.  Product: 
gasoline,  60°  to  64°  B.;  gas-engine  distillate,  43°  to  52°  B.;  gas  distil- 
late, 32°  to  34°  B.;  neutral  oils,  26°  to  28°  B.;  lubricating  oil,  18°  to  22°  B.; 
green  oil,  15.5°  to  16.5°  B.;  asphaltum.  Amount  of  crude  oil  handled 
in  1899  was  20,000  bbls. 

11.2.4.  Jewett  &  Blodget  Refinery  is  situated  at  Hazelton,  Sunset  oil- 
district,  about  40  miles  west  of  Bakersfield.  Plant  consists  of  one 
still,  capacity  100  bbls.  in  twenty-four  hours.  The  Baku  process  is 
used.  Product:  distillate,  lubricating  oil,  and  asphaltum.  The  crude 
oil  yields  gas  distillate,  20%;  lubricating  oil,  12%;  heavy  distillate,  13%; 

*For  asphaltum  refineries,  see  general  report  of  California  State  Mining  Bureau. 


172  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

asphaltum,  55%.     The  product  is  shipped  to  Gosford  on  the  McKittrick 
branch  of  the  S.  P.  R.  R.     Gosford  is  about  8  miles  from  Bakersfield. 

11.2.5.  Paraffin  Paint  Company  (of  San  Francisco)  has  a  refinery 
at  Emeryville,  Alameda  County.  Plant  consists  of  three  60-bbL  stills 
and  a  tankage  of  about  360  bbls.  Six  men  are  employed.  The  oils 
refined  by  this  company  are  all  of  high  specific  gravity,  none  of  them 
being  above  19°  B.  The  product  is  distillates  ranging  from  15°  B.  to 
16°  B.,  and  asphaltum.  The  asphaltum  constitutes  about  22%,  by 
volume,  of  the  crude  oil. 

11.2.6.  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Coynpany  (of  San  Francisco)  has  a  refinery 
at  Alameda  Point,  Alameda  County.  Plant  consists  of  13  stills  which 
have  a  total  capacity  of  2215  bbls.,  and  the  following  tankage:  For 
crude  oil,  54,000  bbls.;  for  refined  products,  12,000  bbls.;  bleachers  and 
agitators,  4000  bbls.  Thirty-two  men  are  employed.  The  petroleum 
refined  by  this  company  is  obtained  principally  from  the  wells  of  the 
Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company  near  Newhall.  The  product  is  gasoline, 
illuminating  and  lubricating  oils,  and  other  distillates  and  asphaltum. 

11.2.7.  Puente  Oil  Company^ s  Refinery  is  connected  by  pipe-line  with 
the  Puente  oil-wells,  distance  about  15  miles.  Plant  consists  of  three 
400-bbl.  stills,  and  95,000  bbls.  crude-oil  tankage.  Manufactured 
product  consists  of  gasoline,  67°  B.;  water-white  illuminating  oil,  45°  B.; 
residuum  fuel  oil,  18°  B.  The  residuum  is  about  60%  of  the  crude  oil. 
Output  of  Puente  refinery  for  1899:  gasoline,  105,000  gals.;  painters' 
benzine,  50,000  gals.;  water-white  oil,  450,000  gals.;  gas-engine  distillate, 
900,000  gals.;  total,  1,505,000  gals.,  or  about  35,833  bbls.  The  amount 
of  crude  oil  was  120,000  bbls. 

11.2.8.  Southern  Refining  Company. — Refinery  at  First  Street  and 
Alhambra  Avenue,  Los  Angeles.  Plant,  two  25-bbl.  stills.  Product: 
gas-engine  distillate,  49°  B.;  stove  distillate,  35°  B.;  gas  distillate, 
22°  B.;  neutral  oils,  22°  B,;  lubricating  stock,  16°  B.;  asphaltum. 

11.2.9.  Sunset  Oil  Refining  Company  (J.  A.  Tubbs,  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
president). — Works  situated  at  Obispo,  Terminal  Island,  Los  Angeles 
County.  Plant  consists  of  eight  stills;  total  capacity,  1200  bbls.  a  day. 
Tankage  for  crude  oil,  25,000  bbls.  Product:  gasoline,  illuminating  oil, 
lubricating  oil,  and  intermediate  products.  The  president  of  this  com- 
pany informed  the  writer  that  a  special  process  was  employed  at  his 
works  which  had  not  previously  been  used  in  California.  Work  was 
commenced  at  this  refinery  in  May,  1900,  when  two  stills  were  in  opera- 
tion, thirty-five  men  being  employed. 

11.2.10.  Union  Oil  Company's  Refinery  is  at  Oleum,  Contra  Costa 
County.  The  stills  at  these  works  have  a  total  capacity  of  900  bbls.  of 
crude  oil.  Tankage  for  refined  product,  20,000  bbls.;  tankage  for  crude 
oil,  70,000  bbls.  Product:  benzine,  52°  to  63°  B.;  illuminating  oil,  43°  B.; 
gas-engine  distillate,  39°  B.;  gas  distillate,  28°  B.;  lubricating  oil, 
15°  to  28°  B.;  asphaltum. 


RANGE    OF   OIL- YIELDING    FORMATIONS.  173 


I^^RT  12. 


SUMMARY  OF  OIL-YIELDING  FORMATIONS.  CHARACTER  OF  CALIFORNIA 

PETROLEUM,  AND  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF 

OIL-MINING  IN  CALIFORNIA. 


CHAPTER  1. 

GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  GEOLOGICAL  RANGE  OF  OIL-YIELDING 
FORMATIONS  IN  CALIFORNIA. 

12.1.1.  It  is  now  in  order  to  summarize  and  compare  the  leading 
geographical  and  geological  facts  thus  far  ascertained  concerning  the 
occurrence  of  petroleum  in  California,  and  to  review  the  character  of  the 
oil-yielding  formations  and  their  relation  one  to  another. 

Nearly  all  the  oil-fields  which  at  this  writing  contribute  to  the  petro- 
leum product  of  California  are  situated  below  the  17th  township  line 
south  of  Mount  Diablo.  (See  Fig.  M.)  The  productive  oil-fields  in  the 
portion  of  the  State  referred  to  are  distributed  as  follows:  In  the  foot- 
hills of  the  Sierras  near  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley;  on  the  eastern  slope  of  one  of  the  Coast  Ranges  which  form  the 
western  boundary  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley;  and  in  other  localities  of 
the  Coast  Ranges  which  traverse  Santa  Barbara,  Ventura,  Los  Angeles, 
and  Orange  counties. 

12.1.2.  It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  oil-yielding  formations  are 
confined  to  the  localities  enumerated,  for  they  constitute  a  large  portion 
of  the  mountains  composing  the  Coast  Range  system.  Moreover,  in 
many  places  they  form  the  bedrock  beneath  the  alluvium  of  the  valley 
land.  It  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  wherever  these  oil-yielding 
formations  are  found  they  contain  oil  in  valuable  quantities,  any  more 
than  the  coal-measures  always  contain  valuable  beds  of  coal;  but  it  is  a 
reasonable  conclusion  that  there  are  in  California  numerous  areas 
through  which  these  formations  extend  wherein  new  oil-fields  will  be 
discovered.  This  conclusion  applies  not  only  to  the  portions  of  Cali- 
fornia described  in  this  Bulletin,  but  also  to  a  large  portion  of  the  State 
which  lies  between  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras  and  the  Pacific  Ocean. 


174  CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

THE  OIL- YIELDING  FORMATIONS  OBSERVED  BETWEEN  THE  SESPE  AND  PIRU  CREEKS, 

VENTURA  COUNTY,  COMPARED  WITH  THE  OIL- YIELDING 

FORMATIONS  OF  OTHER  DISTRICTS. 

12.1.3.  The  relative  position  in  point  of  vertical  geologic  range  of  the 
formations  wherein  remunerative  oil-wells  have  been  obtained  in  Ven- 
tura and  Los  Angeles  counties,  is  demonstrated  by  an  investigation  of 
the  country  between  Piru  and  Sespe  creeks  in  Ventura  County,  where  a  j 
sequence  of  formations  ranging  from  the  uppermost  beds  of  the  Middle  J 
Neocene  to  the  lowermost  beds  of  the  Eocene  are  exposed.  At  Piru 
Creek,  beds  of  conglomerate  occur  which  contain  Neocene  fossils.  Pliocene 
forms  being  the  more  numerous.  (See  Table  III.)  This  formation  is 
more  than  a  thousand  feet  thick,  and  in  one  place  it  was  found  to  be 
impregnated  with  petroleum.  The  conglomerate  rests  on  a  clay-shale, 
likewise  containing  Neocene  fossils.  (See  Table  III.)  The  lower  por- 
tion of  the  shale  is  interbedded  with  sandstone  strata,  and  passes  into  a 
mass  of  sandstone,  which,  in  Hopper  Canon  (see  Fig.  10),  shows  a  thick- 
ness of  1100'.  In  most  instances  when  the  lower  portion  of  the  Middle  4 
Neocene  is  exposed,  strata  of  sandstone  are  found  more  or  less  impreg- 
nated with  petroleum.  At  the  mouth  of  Hopper  Canon,  the  Middle 
Neocene  shale  and  sandstone  show  an  aggregate  thickness  of  about  3000'. 
(See  Fig.  9.)  The  Middle  Neocene  rocks  form  a  very  important  series, 
for,  as  described  in  the  foregoing  pages,  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  the 
oil  mined  in  California  is  obtained  from  sandy  strata  in  the  lower  por- 
tion of  this  group.  | 

12.1.4.  Thus,  the  old-yielding  rocks  at  Elsmere  Canon  near  Newhall 
are  evidently  of  Middle  Neocene  age  (see  Table  HI);  and,  as  before 
described,  the  outcropping  rocks  on  the  south  side  of  the  valley  of  the 
Santa  Clara  River  indicate  that  the  oil-yielding  formations  which 
extend  from  Newhall  to  Bardsdale  belong  to  the  Middle  Neocene  series, 
although  the  gravity  of  the  oil  is  less  than  that  of  the  oil  usually 
obtained  from  Middle  Neocene  beds. 

12.1.5.  In  the  Puente  Hills  the  Middle  Neocene  rocks  are  well  repre- 
sented, and  the  principal  oil-yielding  formations  are  sandstone  strata 
interbedding  the  lower  portion  of  the  Neocene  shales.  At  Summerland, 
in  Santa  Barbara  County,  the  character  of  the  oil-yielding  formations 
and  their  relation  to  the  whitish  shales  of  Lower  Neocene  age,  which 
are  exposed  near  Carpinteria  and  in  the  low  ridge  of  hills  immediately 
east  of  Summerland,  warrant  the  conclusion  that  the  oil-measures  in 
Summerland  are  of  Middle  Neocene  age. 

12.1.6.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  we  find 
the  oil-field  of  the  Kern  River  district  wherein  the  oil-measures  must 
be  referred  to  the  Middle  Neocene  series.*  On  the  western  side  of  the 
San  Joaquin  Valley,  the  most  productive  oil-measures  in  the  Sunset 
district,  the  oil-measures  of  the  McKittrick  district,  and  those  in  the 

*See  fossils  collected  in  this  district,  as  described  in  Bulletin  No.  3,  pp.  39  and  40. 


RANGE    OF    OIL-YIELDING    FORMATIONS.  175 

southern  portion  of  the  Oil  City  field  in  Fresno  County,  are  of  Middle 
Neocene  age.*  In  the  San  Joaquin  Valley,  the  Middle  Neocene  forma- 
tion consists  of  sandstones  and  shales,  the  sandstones  predominating, 
while  in  Ventura,  Los  Angeles,  and  Orange  counties,  the  formations  of 
corresponding  age  consist  of  conglomerate  and  a  thick  body  of  shale, 
the  lower  portion  of  which  is  interstratified  with  sandstone,  passing  into 
a  massive  body  of  sandstone  at  the  bottom  of  the  Middle  Neocene  series. 

12.1.7.  The  oil  obtained  in  the  Middle  Neocene  formation  varies 
greatly  in  quality,  the  specific  gravity  ranging  from  12°  B.  to  30°  B.  In 
most  districts,  however,  in  which  the  oil-yielding  formations  have  been 
identified  as  of  Middle  Neocene  age,  the  gravity  of  the  oil  ranges  between 
14°  B.  and  22°  B. 

12.1.8.  In  the  territory  between  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks,  the  formation 
immediately  underlying  the  Middle  Neocene  series  is  a  very  characteristic 
one.  It  consists  of  silicious  shale.  This  shale  is  well  exposed  in  Hopper 
Caiion  and  at  the  Modelo  oil-wells,  and  shows  a  thickness  of  about  1500'. 
When  freshly  broken,  this  shale  usually  smells  of  petroleum,  and  in 
most  instances  it  gives  a  calcareous  reaction  with  acid.  The  upper 
portion  of  this  mass  of  shale  is  interbedded  with  sandstone.  There  is 
no  marked  stratigraphical  division  between  these  shales,  which  rest  con- 
formably on  a  whitish  sandstone,  and  the  overlying  rocks.  Nevertheless, 
since  silicious  shale  is  so  characteristic  of  the  Lower  Neocene  in  other 
portions  of  California,  the  writer  has  tentatively  referred  the  silicious 
shale  of  the  territory  under  discussion  to  that  horizon.  In  Los  Angeles 
County  a  similar  shale  is  exposed  at  a  few  points  in  the  central  portion 
of  the  Puente  Hills,  and  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  whitish  silicious 
shale  seen  in  the  Santiago  Canon  in  Orange  County  belongs  to  this 
horizon.  As  previously  mentioned,  the  silicious  shale  rests  on  a  whitish 
sandstone  formation,  which,  as  is  shown  in  Fig.  G,  constitutes  a  large 
portion  of  the  higher  mountains  between  the  Piru  and  Sespe  creeks. 
This  sandstone  is  evidently  several  thousand  feet  in  thickness,  and  con- 
tains some  fossils  which  are  referred  by  Dr.  J.  C.  Merriam  to  the  Lower 
Neocene  epoch.     (See  Table  II.) 

12.1.9.  The  silicious  shale  previously  referred  to  as  being  in  the 
Puente  Hills  and  in  the  Santiago  Caiion,  rests  on  a  thick-bedded  sand- 
stone. In  the  Santiago  Canon  this  sandstone  contains  fossils  represent- 
ing the  Lower  Neocene  epoch.  On  the  western  side  of  the  San  Joaquin 
Valley  the  Middle  Neocene  beds  rest  non-conformably  on  a  whitish 
silicious  shale,  and  this  rests  either  on  Eocene  strata,  as  at  Oil  City,  or 
on  sandstone  or  shale  of  Lower  Neocene  age,  as  is  the  case  at  the  Avenal 
field  in  the  Kreyenhagen  district. f     In  most  instances  the  oil  from  these 

*See  fossils  collected  in  this  district,  as  described  in  Bulletin  No.  3,  pp.  38,  43,  49,  54, 
55,  56,  58,  59,  63,  64,  65. 

t  See  Bulletin  No.  3,  p.  53:  Fossils  collected  in  Tar  Canon,  now  called  the  Avenal 
field.  Recently  the  writer  obtained  specimens  of  Turritella  ocoyana  from  this  locality. 
See  also  same  Bulletin,  p.  55:  Specimens  collected  in  Zapato  Chino  Creek,  Kreyenhagen. 


176  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

1 

formations  has  a  gravity  of  more  than  25°  B.  As  before  stated,  the 
whitish  sandstone  extends  westward  from  Piru  Creek,  in  Ventura  County, 
to  the  Sespe  oil-district,  the  distance  between  the  two  places  being  about 
8  miles. 

12.1.10.  At  the  Sespe  oil-district,  the  whitish  sandstone  rests  prob- 
ably non-conformably  on  a  shale  formation,  although  the  non-conform- 
ability  is  not  very  apparent.  The  shale  formation  is  whitish  and  grayish 
at  the  top,  passing  into  a  dark-colored  shale,  which  is  interbedded  with 
numerous  thin  strata,  or  nodular  masses,  of  hard  bituminous  limestone- 
These  shales  rest  on  a  drab-colored  sandstone  of  no  great  thickness  and 
contain  Eocene  fossils.*  The  drab-colored  sandstone  rests  on  a  brown 
sandstone,  locally  known  as  the  Sespe  brownstone. 

12.1.11.  In  the  Devil's  Gate  mining  district  the  brownstone  rests  on 
whitish  sandstone,  and  the  latter  on  a  bufi-colored  sandstone.  The 
Sespe  brownstone,  the  white  sandstone,  and  the  buff-colored  sandstone 
all  contain  typical  Eocene  fossils,  f  All  these  sandstones  are  more  or 
less  interbedded  with  shale.  The  principal  oil-yielding  formations  in 
the  Sespe  district  are  the  lowermost  portions  of  the  drab-colored  shales, 
the  drab  sandstone,  and  the  uppermost  portion  of  the  Sespe  brown- 
stone. These  formations  have  been  extensively  exploited  by  the  Union 
Oil  Company. 

12.1.12.  It  is  probable  that  the  oil-yielding  formations  in  the  north- 
ern portion  of  the  Oil  City  field  in  Fresno  County, J  and  those  on  the 
Tunitas  and  Puri8sima§  creeks  in  San  Mateo  County,  belong  to  the 
same  geological  horizon  as  do  the  oil-yielding  rocks  of  the  Sespe  district. 
In  the  Devil's  Gate  district  there  are  numerous  seepages  of  petroleum 
in  the  hard,  buff-colored  Eocene  sandstones,  and  productive  oil-wells 
have  been  obtained.  Between  the  Piru  and  Sespe  districts  no  marked 
non-conform ability  was  observed  by  the  writer,  the  variations  of  dip 
being  referable  rather  to  local  geological  disturbance  than  to  non-con- 
formability.  Still,  it  by  no  means  follows  that  the  formations  actually 
rest  conformably  one  on  another. 

12.1.13.  It  is  conceded  that  in  California  the  Lower  Neocene  forma- 
tions rest  non-conformably  on  the  Eocene,  and  observations  in  Orange 
and  Los  Angeles  counties  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Middle  Neocene 
shales  overlap  the  underlying  formations.  There  are  also  some  reasons 
for  believing  that  in  Los  Angeles  County  the  conglomerate  rests  non- 
conformably  on  the  Middle  Neocene  shales.     Since  the  Eocene  period, 

*See  Bulletin  No.  11,  pp.  82,  83,  84,  85:  Fossils  collected  at  Tar  Creek  ranch  and  on  a 
divide  between  Tar  and  Maple  creeks. 

tSee  Bulletin  No.  11,  p.  84:  Fossils  collected  at  mouth  of  Stony  Corral  Creek  and 
Redstone  Peak. 

J  See  Bulletin  No.  3,  p.  62:  Fossils  collected  at  oil-claims  9  miles  north  of  Coalinga, 
Fresno  County. 

§Two  shells  were  brought  up  by  the  sand  pump  from  a  well  on  Purissima  Creek  and 
they  were  identified  by  Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper  as  being  of  Eocene  age. 


FORMATIONS    IN    ORANGE    AND    LOS   ANGELES   COUNTIES.  177 

there  have  been  not  only  epochs  of  unusual  geologic  disturbance,  but 
also  disturbances  of  a  secular  nature  which  have  produced  oscillations 
of  the  land  surface  during  the  deposition  of  the  Tertiary  and  Quaternary 
formations.  Similar  disturbances  continue  to  this  day.  It  appears  that 
in  many  instances  these  disturbances  were  of  local  character. 


CHAPTER  2. 

NEOCENE  AND  MORE  RECENT  FORMATIONS  IN  PORTIONS 
OF   ORANGE  AND  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTIES. 

12.2.1.  As  mentioned  in  a  previous  chapter,  the  rocks  containing 
petroleum  deposits  in  Los  Angeles  and  Orange  counties  are  members  of 
a  geological  series  represented  by  formations  which  may  be  studied  to 
advantage  in  the  foothills  of  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains,  between  the 
Santiago  Canon  and  the  canon  of  the  Santa  Ana  River.  (See  Figs.  1,  B, 
and  7.)  This  series  may  be  correlated  with  the  Lower  and  Middle 
Neocene  formations  observed  between  the  Piru  and  Sespe  creeks  in 
Ventura  County,  and  previously  described.  In  the  order  of  its  down- 
ward vertical  range  it  consists  of  conglomerate,  shales,  and  sandstones, 
the  sandstones  being  for  the  most  part  of  a  whitish  color.  The  whitish 
sandstones  rest  on  Eocene  and  Cretaceous  formations,  and  in  the  portion 
of  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains  herein  referred  to,  the  Cretaceous  forma- 
tions rest  on  crystalline  rocks.  The  areas  over  which  these  Neocene 
formations  extend  are  shown  in  Figs.  A,  B,  and  G.  The  writer  made  a 
brief  reconnaissance  of  the  portion  of  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains 
consisting  of  eruptive  crystalline  rocks  and  the  Cretaceous  and  Eocene 
formations. 

12.2.2.  The  area  occupied  by  these  rocks  is  marked  "  Unexplored  " 
in  Fig.  1.  The  fossils  obtained  from  the  Cretaceous  and  Eocene 
rocks  are  classified  in  Table  I.  They  are  from  localities  adjacent  to 
those  shown  in  Figs.  1  and  B.  It  is  probable  that  in  the  extremity  of 
the  Santa  Ana  Mountains,  the  formations  immediately  overlying  the 
crystalline  rocks  are  Cretaceous,  and  there  is  reason  to  believe  that 
there  are  Eocene  formations  between  the  Cretaceous  rocks  and  the 
whitish  sandstone. 

12.2.3.  Some  Lower  Neocene  (Miocene)  fossils  were  obtained  in  sand- 
stone in  the  higher  portions  of  the  Santa  Ana  Mountains,  in  the  S.E, 
cor.  of  Sec.  12,  T.  4  S.,  R.  6  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  but  the  greatest  body  of  this 
sandstone  is  found  in  the  foothills.  A  cross-section  of  this  sandstone  is 
shown  in  Fig.  7,  where  it  is  about  7000'  in  thickness. 

12— b19 


178  -  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

12.2.4.  At  the  bottom  of  the  whitish  sandstone  formation  there  are  a 
few  strata  of  conglomerate,  and  the  pebbles  forming  this  conglomerate 
are  principally  quartzose.  Whitish  sandstone  similar  to  that  seen 
between  the  Santiago  Canon  and  the  Santa  Ana  River,  forms  a  large 
portion  of  the  Puente  Hills,  and  also  a  large  portion  of  the  ridge  which 
traverses  Elysian  Park  at  Los  Angeles.  A  similar  sandstone  forms  the 
central  mass  on  the  San  Joaquin  Hills,  and  crops  out  on  the  shore-line 
near  the  southeast  corner  of  Orange  County.  On  the  north  side  of  the 
valley  of  the  Santa  Clara  River,  in  Ventura  County,  a  similar  whitish 
sandstone,  as  previously  described,  is  found  resting  on  Eocene  forma- 
tions. At  the  Santiago  Canon  and  in  the  San  Joaquin  Hills  in  Orange 
County,  and  at  Piru  Creek  in  Ventura  County,  these  sandstones  were 
found  to  contain  Lower  Neocene  (Miocene)  fossils.  Near  Piru  Creek, 
they  yield  petroleum  in  valuable  quantities.  (See  Table  II,  at  end  of 
this  Bulletin.) 

12.2.5.  Resting  on  this  whitish  sandstone,  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Santiago  Canon,  is  a  very  interesting  series  of  shales,  the  lower  por- 
tion of  which  is  white  or  whitish,  and  the  upper  portion  gray  or 
brown.  The  whitest  of  the  shales  resembles  infusorial  earth.  The 
upper  portion  is  brown  clay-shale,  and  is,  for  the  most  part,  thin- 
bedded.  It  is  interbedded  with  thin  strata  of  sandstone.  At  the 
first  glance,  it  appears  improbable  that  the  white  shale  belongs  to  the 
same  formation  as  the  overlying  brown  clay-shale;  yet  the  writer  could 
discover  no  non-conformability  between  the  white  shale  and  the  dark- 
colored  shale  overlying  it.  An  inspection  of  this  shale  formation  in  the 
eastern  portion  of  Orange  County  showed  a  gradual  transition  from  the 
white  shale  into  the  dark-colored  shale  overlying  it.  Similar  whitish 
shales  are  found  at  several  other  places  in  Orange  County,  and  it  seems 
reasonable  tentatively  to  correlate  them  with  the  silicious  shales  found 
resting  on  the  whitish  sandstone  formation  in  the  Puente  Hills  and  in 
Ventura  County,  as  previously  described,  and  with  the  silicious  shales 
which  form  a  large  portion  of  Point  San  Pedro  in  Los  Angeles  County. 
North  of  the  San  Joaquin  Hills  in  Orange  County,  the  white  shale 
forms  the  bedrock  throughout  a  large  area  in  the  valley  lands,  and 
shales  of  this  series,  grayish  to  brownish  in  color,  form  low  cliffs  along 
the  shore-line  to  the  east  of  Newport  Bay.  At  Point  San  Pedro  there 
are  silicious  shales  which  were  deposited  during  a  period  of  volcanic 
activity,  for  not  only  does  eruptive  rock  occur  there  as  dikes  penetrating 
the  shale,  but  also  the  shale  is  found  interstratified  with  volcanic  material. 
The  clay-shales  overlying  the  whitish  shale  in  Orange  County  must  be 
correlated  with  the  Middle  Neocene  shales  observed  in  Ventura  County, 
in  the  Puente  Hills,  and  in  the  City  of  Los  Angeles.  These  clay-shales 
are  the  prevailing  formation  exposed  in  the  southeast  end  of  Orange 
County,  where  they  form  purple-colored  cliffs  along  the  shore-line.     As 


FORMATIONS    IN    ORANGE    AND    LOS   ANGELES   COUNTIES.  179 

described  in  previous  chapters,  this  formation  has  been  identified  in  other 
localities,  and  fossils  obtained  therefrom  are  classified  by  Dr.  Merriam  as 
representing  the  Middle  Neocene  epoch.  (See  Table  III.)  These  shales 
were  classed  as  Pliocene  in  previous  reports,  on  account  of  the  number 
of  living  forms  found  among  the  fossils  they  contain.  It  is  not  sur- 
prising that  a  more  extensive  examination  of  this  formation  and  of  the 
collection  of  fossils  from  larger  areas,  led  to  the  conclusion  that  these 
shales  are  somewhat  older  than  they  were  at  first  supposed  to  be.  As 
previously  stated,  the  principal  oil-yielding  formations  in  the  Puente 
Hills  are  situated  in  the  lower  portion  of  this  shale  formation,  and  prob- 
ably in  the  upper  portion  of  the  underlying  sandstone.  In  Newport  in 
Orange  County,  shales  resembling  the  Middle  Neocene  shales  contain  a 
large  amount  of  heavy  petroleum. 

12.2.6.  The  question  as  to  whether  these  shales  rest  conformably  or 
non-conformably  on  the  underlying  sandstone,  is  an  important  one. 
The  structural  evidence  on  this  point  in  sight  at  the  Santiago  Caiion 
is  not  very  conclusive,  owing  to  the  fact  that  there  has  been  much  local 
disturbance,  but  such  evidence  as  is  in  sight  favors  the  conclusion  that 
the  shale  rests  non-conformably  on,  or  at  least  overlaps,  the  underlying 
sandstone;  in  other  words,  that  at  least  a  portion  of  the  shale  was 
deposited  when  the  land  surface  was  sinking,  and  that  the  ocean,  from 
which  the  sediments  forming  the  shale  were  deposited,  was  overflowing, 
not  only  the  whitish  sandstone,  but  also  the  formation  underlying  it. 
In  this  connection,  the  most  important  evidence  observed  by  the  writer 
is,  that,  as  noted  between  the  Santiago  Canon  and  the  Santa  Ana  River, 
there  is  a  discrepancy  between  the  direction  of  the  angle  of  the  dip  of 
the  whitish  sandstone  and  the  overlying  shales,  that  the  shale  is  found 
resting  on  different  material  in  different  places,  and  that  in  some  places 
it  rests  on  formations  underlying  the  whitish  sandstone.  At  Point  San 
Pedro  in  Los  Angeles  County,  silicious  shales  rest  on  eruptive  and 
metamorphic  rocks,  and  near  the  Aliso  Caiion  in  the  San  Joaquin  Hills, 
an  outlier  of  the  shales  rests  on  rocks  underlying  the  whitish  sandstone. 
In  the  Puente  Hills  south  of  Pomona,  these  shales  are  found  in  close 
proximity  to  granitic  rocks,  and  there  does  not  appear  to  be  any  whitish 
sandstone  intervening  between  the  shale  and  the  metamorphic  and 
granitic  rocks. 

12.2.7,  Resting  on  the  shale  is  a  conglomerate  composed  principally 
of  granitic  pebbles  containing  much  black  mica.  From  this  conglom- 
erate a  few  fossils  of  Middle  Neocene  age  were  obtained.  *  In  the  Puente 
Hills  the  conglomerate  is  much  less  disturbed  and  dips  more  to  the  west 
than  does  the  underlying  shale;  but  whether  these  differences  are  due 
to  non-conformability  or  to  local  disturbance,  coupled  with  the  difference 

*  It  will  be  noted  that  a  conglomerate  similar  to  that  seen  in  Los  Angeles  and  Orange 
counties  is  found  resting  on  the  Middle  Neocene  shales  in  Ventura  County. 


180  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

in  the  relative  tensile  strength  of  the  shale  and  the  conglomerate,  it  is 
not  easy  to  determine.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain,  the  difference  in 
the  character  of  the  sediments  forming  the  shale,  and  of  those  forming 
the  conglomerate,  indicates  that  these  sediments  were  deposited  under 
very  different  conditions.  The  change  from  homogeneous  bodies  of 
shale  to  shale  interbedded  with  sandstone,  and  from  that  to  conglom- 
erate, tells  of  a  gradual  rise  in  the  land  surface.  The  massive  granitic 
rocks  which  are  the  probable  source  of  the  pebbles  forming  the  conglom- 
erate are  ten  miles  or  more  distant  from  the  conglomerate  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Santiago  Caiion.  This  fact  indicates  an  interval  between  the  end 
of  the  period  when  the  shale  was  deposited  and  the  beginning  of  the 
period  when  the  conglomerate  was  deposited.  It  is  probable  that  the 
pebbles  forming  this  conglomerate  came  from  a  land  surface  composed 
largely  of  granitic  drift. 

12.2.8.  At  San  Juan  Capistrano,  in  Orange  County,  a  sandy  forma- 
tion was  found  containing  fossils  representing  the  Upper  Neocene  (Plio- 
cene) epoch.  (See  Table  IV.)  In  that  locality  the  rock-exposures  are 
insufficient  to  determine  the  relation  of  the  Upper  Neocene  formations 
to  the  underlying  shales.  At  the  San  Pedro  Peninsula,  a  sandy  forma- 
tion containing  numerous  Quaternary  fossils  is  found  resting  non-con- 
foi'mably  on  shales,  presumably  of  Neocene  age  (see  Table  V),  and  there 
are  diatomaceous  deposits  which  probably  belong  to  the  same  geological 
horizon. 

12.2.9.  On  the  low  cliffs  which  form  the  shore-line  of  the  inner  bay  at 
Newport,  Orange  County,  there  arediatomaceousshales  and  sandy  strata, 
the  latter  being  impregnated  with  petroleum.  These  formations  contain 
numerous  Quaternary  fossils,  and  rest  non-conformably  on  shales  re- 
sembling the  Middle  Neocene  shales  previously  described.  As  may  be 
inferred  from  the  foregoing  pages,  the  hill  ranges  in  the  portion  of  Los 
Angeles  and  Orange  counties  described  in  this  Bulletin,  owe  their  exist- 
ence mainly  to  the  structure  of  the  rocky  formations  ;  but  their  outline 
has  been  modified  both  by  atmospheric  erosion  and  by  wave-cutting,  as 
is  evidenced  by  the  terraces  on  the  San  Pedro  Peninsula  and  at  other 
places.     (See  Photo  No.  12.) 

12.2.10.  Since  even  the  recent  sedimentary  beds  in  Los  Angeles  County 
are  more  or  less  tilted,  it  is  probable  that  the  process  by  which  the  rocks 
have  been  folded  continues  in  operation  until  the  present  day.  A  study 
of  the  western  end  of  the  San  Joaquin  Hills  and  of  Point  San  Pedro  leads 
to  the  conclusion  that  there  have  been  volcanic  outbursts  since  the  depo- 
sition of  the  Neocene  shales.  Moreover,  there  is  evidence  that  the  bed- 
rocks beneath  the  alluvium  of  the  valley  are  traversed  by  fissures.  Thus, 
about  a  mile  northwest  of  the  village  of  Whittier,  and  at  Howard  Sta- 
tion, about  10  miles  south  of  Los  Angeles,  there  are  deposits  of  sulphur- 
ous earth  or  decomposed  rocks  more  or  less  impregnated  with  sulphur. 


RECAPITULATION.  181 

These  deposits  have  doubtless  been  formed  by  sulphurous  gases  arising 
from  fissures  in  the  bedrock. 

12.2.11.  Beneath  the  alluvium  of  the  valley  the  bedrock  may  be  of 
any  of  the  formations  which  have  been  described.  There  is  reason  to 
believe  that  throughout  large  areas  the  bedrock  is  of  Quaternary  age, 
for  Quaternary  fossils  have  been  brought  up  from  a  depth  of  several 
hundred  feet,  and  in  one  instance,  from  a  depth  of  more  than  1000'  in 
wells  sunk  in  the  valley  land.  (See  record  of  well  at  Bell  Station;  also 
record  of  Green  Meadow  ranch  well,  described  in  Bulletin  No.  11.)  In 
some  instances,  natural  gas  has  been  struck  in  wells  penetrating  what 
appear  to  be  Quaternary  formations  beneath  the  alluvium  of  the  valley 
land.     (See  Marius  Meyer  well,  also  the  Rosecrans  gas-well.) 


CHAPTER  3. 


RECAPITULATION. 


12.3.1.  A  recapitulation  of  the  occurrence  of  petroleum  in  California, 
as  described  in  this  and  previous  bulletins,  will  give  the  reader  a  clearer 
conception  as  to  the  distribution  of  this  mineral. 

Petroleum,  in  the  form  of  natural  gas,  oil,  and  asphaltum,  is  found 
at  various  places  in  the  Coast  Ranges  and  in  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras 
in  Kern  County.  Natural  gas  is  also  found  in  the  Central  Valley  of 
California,  and  at  some  places  in  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras.  The 
geological  formations  yielding  petroleum  in  California  range  from  the 
Lower  Cretaceous  to  the  Quaternary.  Some  idea  as  to  geographical  and 
geological  distribution  of  these  formations  may  be  gathered  from  a  brief 
enumeration  of  the  localities  where  oil-mining  has  been  carried  on,  and 
where,  in  some  instances,  valuable  oil-fields  have  been  developed.  In 
the  Puente  Hills  in  Orange  and  Los  Angeles  counties  and  at  the  City  of 
Los  Angeles,  the  oil-yielding  formations,  as  previously  stated,  belong  to 
the  Middle  Neocene  series.  On  the  south  side  of  the  valley  of  the  Santa 
Clara  River  in  Ventura  and  Los  Angeles  counties,  the  principal  oil- 
yielding  formations  may  be  tentatively  classed  as  of  Middle  Neocene 
age,  but  the  writer  has  not  yet  made  a  detailed  examination  of  those 
districts. 

12.3.2.  On  the  north  side  of  the  valley  of  the  Santa  Clara  River  in 
Ventura  County  there  are  four  oil-yielding  horizons: 

1.  In  the  lower  portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene  series. 

2.  In  the  upper  portion  of  the  Lower  Neocene  series. 

3.  In  the  upper  portion  of  the  Eocene  series. 

4.  In  the  lower  portion  of  the  Eocene  series. 


182  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

In  the  oil-fields  north  of  Santa  Paula  in  Ventura  County  the  geologi- 
cal structure  is  so  complex  that  there  is  some  doubt  as  to  the-  age  of  the 
rocks  which  really  furnish  the  oil,  but  in  the  Ex-Mission  field  the  oil- 
yielding  formations  probably  belong  to  the  upper  portion  of  the  Lower 
Neocene. 

12.3.3.  At  Summerland  in  Santa  Barbara  County  the  character  of 
the  oil-yielding  formations  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  they  belong  to 
the  Middle  Neocene  series.  The  writer  has  been  unable  to  procure  any 
fossils  from  these  formations.  In  the  foothills  bordering  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley  the  oil-yielding  formations  range  from  the  Eocene  to  the 
lower  portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene.  In  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras  east 
of  Bakersfield  the  oil-yielding  formations  may  be  referred  to  the  Middle 
Neocene.  In  the  foothills  of  the  Coast  Ranges  west  of  Bakersfield 
in  Kern  County  petroleum  is  found  in  formations  ranging  from  the 
Eocene  to  the  Middle  Neocene.  In  these  oil-fields  the  most  productive 
formations  are  in  the  lower  portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene  series,  and 
valuable  quantities  of  heavy  oil  are  found  in  the  upper  portion  of  the 
Lower  Neocene.  At  McKittrick  the  oil-bearing  strata  are  of  Middle 
Neocene  age ;  at  the  Avenal  and  Kreyenhagen  districts  the  oil-yielding 
strata  are  of  Lower  Neocene  age.  At  Oil  City,  near  Coalinga,  remuner- 
ative oil-yielding  strata  are  found  in  the  lower  portion  of  the  Middle 
Neocene,  the  upper  portion  of  the  Lower  Neocene,  and  the  upper  portion 
of  the  Eocene  formations. 

12.3.4.  In  the  Panoche  Valley  in  San  Benito  County,  both  the  Middle 
and  Lower  Neocene  formations  are  represented,  but  the  writer  has  not 
made  a  detailed  examination  of  that  county.  At  the  Cholame  Valley 
in  Monterey  County  there  are  oil-yielding  formations  of  Middle  Neocene 
age.  At  Moody  Gulch  in  Santa  Clara  County,  the  age  of  the  oil-yield- 
ing rocks  has  never  been  determined. 

12.3.5.  At  the  Tunitas  and  Purissima  creeks  in  San  Mateo  County, 
oil  is  obtained  from  wells  which  penetrate  rocks  of  Eocene  age. 

12.3.6.  North  of  San  Francisco,  petroleum-yielding  formations  crop 
out  along  the  coast  at  Bolinas  Bay  and  at  Point  Arena ;  at  these  places 
the  exposed  rocks  probably  belong  to  the  Upper  Neocene  series. 

The  Humboldt  County  oil-fields  are  less  known  than  any  in  the  State, 
but  reconnaissances  that  have  been  made  of  these  northern  oil-terri- 
tories warrant  us  in  tentatively  referring  a  large  portion  of  the  oil-yielding 
formations  of  Humboldt  County  to  the  Lower  and  Upper  Neocene  series. 
On  Bear  Creek  and  Sulphur  Creek*  in  Colusa  County  gas  and  oil  are 
found  in  rocks  of  Cretaceous  age.  Oil-yielding  formations  have  also 
been  discovered  in  Napa,  Contra  Costa,  and  Alameda  counties.  At 
Calleguas  at  the  west  end  of  the  Simi  Valley  in  Ventura  County,  a  straw- 
colored  oil  has  been  found  in  volcanic  tuflf;  and  in  the  Placeritos  Canon 


*See  Bulletin  No.  3,  p.  6.    See  also  chapter  on  the  oil-yielding  formations  of  Colusa 
County  in  this  Bulletin. 


RECAPITULATION.  183 

in  Los  Angeles  County,  a  light-colored  oil  is  obtained  from  crystalline 
rocks.  It  is  reported  that  oil-yielding  formations  have  been  discovered 
in  the  foothills  of  the  Sierras  in  Shasta  County,  and  near  Yuma  on  the 
Colorado  River. 

12.3.7.  At  Stockton,  in  San  Joaquin  County,  at  the  City  of  Sacra- 
mento, and  near  Tulare  Lake,  in  Tulare  County,*  natural  gas  is  obtained 
in  remunerative  quantities  from  wells  penetrating  strata  of  Quaternary 
age.  At  Marysville  Buttes,f  and  near  Sites, J  in  the  Sacramento  Valley, 
natural  gas  is  found  in  rocks  of  Eocene  age.  There  are  several  places 
in  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  valleys  where  wells  are  yielding 
sufficient  natural  gas  to  be  of  local  value. 

12.8.8.  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  oil-fields  described  in  this 
Bulletin  have  their  counterparts  in  many  other  places  in  California  not 
yet  explored,  for  the  geological  formations,  including  the  oil-measures 
thus  far  developed,  form  a  large  portion  of  the  Coast  Ranges  between  San 
Diego  and  Humboldt  counties.  From  the  description  of  the  oil-yielding 
formations,  the  geological  positions  of  which  have  been  determined,  it 
appears  that  the  productive  oil  strata  are  sandstones  underlying  bodies 
of  shale  or  clay,  or  interstratified  with  them.  It  may  be  argued  that 
these  conditions  indicate  natural  distillation  as  the  chief  cause  of  the 
accumulation  of  petroleum  in  the  oil -measures. 

12.3.9.  It  is  reasonable  to  infer  that  the  petroleum,  having  been 
elaborated  in  the  shale,  may  have  been  driven  out  of  it  by  natural  distil- 
lation or  by  pressure  into  inclosing  or  interstratified  beds  of  sandstone. 
Concerning  the  origin  of  sufhcient  heat  to  produce  natural  distillation,  it 
is  enough  to  mention  chemical  action  and  the  stress  to  which  the  rocks 
have  been  subjected.  It  is  generally  conceded  that  the  principal  source  of 
petroleum  is  animal  and  vegetable  organisms  which  have  been  buried  in 
rock-forming  sediments.  There  doubtless  have  been  different  epochs  in 
which  such  organisms  were  particularly  abundant.  Thus,  in  California, 
the  early  Neocene  appears  to  have  been  such  an  epoch,  for  during  this 
epoch  the  silicious  shales  which  form  such  a  landmark  in  the  geology  of 
our  Coast  Ranges,  were  deposited,  and  in  many  places  these  shales  are 
found  to  be  made  up  largely  of  the  silicious  skeletons  of  animal  and 
vegetable  organisms,  mainly  microscopic.  It  must  also  be  remembered 
that  a  very  small  percentage  of  petroleum  originally  distributed  through 
a  great  thickness  of  strata  might  be  driven  into  different  zones  by 
natural  distillation;  and  that,  at  certain  temperature  and  pressure,  it 
would  pass  readily  through  sandstone.  The  upward  course  of  the 
petroleum  might  be  impeded  by  strata  of  shale,  and,  when  the  tem- 
perature decreased,  the  petroleum  might  condense  in  any  rocks  suffi- 

*See  Bulletin  No.  3,  p.  68:  Quaternary  fossils  from  gas  wells  in  the  Central  Valley. 
f  See  Bulletin  No.  3,  pp.  9  and  10:  Description  of  Marysville  Buttes  of  California, 
t  See  Bulletin  No.  3,  pp.  6  and  7:  Inflammable  gas,  near  Sites,  Colusa  County. 


184 


CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


ciently  porous  to  afford  it  storage.  If  the  shale  were  only  partially 
impervious  to  the  petroleum,  the  former  would  be  more  or  less  permeated 
by  the  latter,  and  fractures  in  the  shale  would  give  the  petroleum 
access  to  overlying  formations.  A  modification  of  such  processes,  by 
gas  or  hydrostatic  pressure,  would  be  quite  sufficient  to  bring  about  a 
redistribution  of  the  petroleum  and  the  formation  of  secondary  deposits 
of  that  mineral. 

12.3.10.     The  following  table  shows  the  geological  horizon  of  the  oil- 
yielding  formations  in  the  districts  which  the  writer  has  investigated: 

TABLE  SHOWING  GEOLOGIC  RANGE  OF  OIL-YIELDING  FORMATIONS   IN  CALIFORNIA 
AS  FAR  AS  THEY  HAVE  BEEN  DETERMINED. 


System. 


Epoch. 


California 
Equivalent. 


Localities  where  Oil-yielding  Formations 
are  Found. 


Creta- 
ceous 


Tertiary    ■ 


Lower 


Upper. 

Upper  Eocene  .. 


Lower   Neocene 
(Miocene) 


Knoxvillebeds 


Tejon 


Monterey 


Middle  Neocene* 
(Transition  be- 
tween Miocene 
and  Pliocene)  . 


San  Pablo. 


Bear  Creek  and   Sulphur  Creek,   Colusa 
County. 


Coalinga  District,  Fresno  County ;  Tunitas 
and  Purissinia  creeks,  San  Mateo  County; 
Sespe  and  Devil's  Gate  districts, Ventura 
County;  Santa  Ynez.  Mountains,  Santa 
Barbara  County. 

Kreyenhagen  district.  Kings  County ;  Oil 
City,  Fresno  County ;  Sunset  oil-dis- 
trict, Kern  County;  Modelo  oil-wells, 
Ventura  County ;  Sulphur  Mountains ; 
Ex-Mission  district,  Ventura  County. 


Coalinga  district,  Fresno  County ;  McKit- 
trick,  Sunset,  and  Kern  River  districts, 
Kern  County;  Piru,  Ventura  County; 
Los  Angeles  City  and  Elsmere  Cafion, 
Los  Angeles  County ;  and  the  Puente 
Hills,  in  Los  Angeles  and  Orange  coun- 
ties. Also,  a  large  part  of  the  oil-yield- 
ing formations  of  San  Luis  Obispo, 
Monterey,  and  San  Benito  counties; 
Summerland,  Santa  Barbara  County  ( ?) ; 
the  oil-fields  on  the  south  side  of  the 
valley  of  the  Santa  Clara  River,  Los 
Angeles  and  Ventura  counties  (?). 


*  In  Bulletins  Nos.  3  and  11  this  formation  was  classed  as  Pliocene,  on  account  of  the  number 
of  living  forms  found  among  its  fossils. 


PHOTO  33.    Fold  in  Modei-o  Canon,  Ventura  County. 


PHOTO  M.    Inclined  Foi,r>,  Temescai,  Ranch,  Ventuua  County. 


GEOLOGICAL    STRUCTURE    PERTAINING    TO    ^'ETROLEUM.  185 

CHAPTER   4. 

GEOLOGICAL    STRUCTURE    PERTAINING    TO    THE    OCCUR- 
RENCE OF  PETROLEUM  IN  CALIFORNIA. 

12.4.1.  There  are  two  phases  of  geological  research  upon  which  a 
right  understanding  of  our  petroleum  deposits  depends :  ( 1 )  An  investiga- 
tion as  to  the  area  over  which  the  petroleum-yielding  formations  extend; 
and  (2)  an  investigation  as  to  the  probable  course,  length,  and  width 
of  the  oil-lines,  or  the  lines  along  which  remunerative  wells  can  be 
obtained.  With  a  good  topographical  map,  the  former  can  be  success- 
fully carried  on  without  the  expenditure  of  much  time  and  labor;  the 
latter,  upon  which  alone  a  correct  estimation  as  to  the  value  of  our 
petroleum  deposits  can  be  based,  requires  a  careful  study  of  the  structural 
geology  pertaining  to  the  subject. 

12.4.2.  To  those  who  explore  the  hills  and  mountains  of  the  Coast 
Ranges  there  are  few  things  more  interesting  than  the  curiously  folded 
condition  of  the  rocky  strata.  In  California  the  student  of  structural 
geology  has  not  to  search  very  far  before  he  finds  natural  illustrations 
of  the  types  of  folds  he  has  seen  in  his  text-books.  In  some  parts  of 
the  world  such  folds  are  many  miles  in  breadth,  but  in  the  Coast  Ranges 
the  conspicuous  folds  are  generally  narrow  ones.  These  small  and  con- 
spicuous folds  usually  constitute  portions  of  larger  folds,  which,  although 
they  are  more  important  than  the  small  folds  in  the  formation  of  hills 
and  mountains,  are  not  so  easily  detected  unless  a  large  area  is  care- 
fully mapped  out  and  studied.  The  small  folds  are,  however,  of  great 
importance  in,  determining  the  course  and  the  width  of  oil-lines.  It  is 
in  order,  therefore,  to  speak  of  the  more  common  types  of  folds  and 
structural  forms  which  are  familiar  to  all  students  of  geology,  and  to 
say  a  few  words  about  their  relation  to  petroleum  mining. 

12.4.3.  First — The  upright  fold,  as  shown  in  Fig.  15.  The  strata 
forming  the  sides  or  limbs  of  this  fold  slope  away  at  equal  angles  of 
inclination  from  the  axis  of  the  fold.  Now,  provided  the  structure  is  not 
complicated  by  faults,  it  is  obvious  that  wells  sunk  on  opposite  sides  of 
this  fold,  and  at  points  equidistant  from  its  axis,  would  strike  the  stratum 
of  oil-sand  at  the  same  depth. 

Second — The  inclined  fold,  as  shown  at  C,  Fig.  16.  In  this  fold  the 
strata  forming  one  side  or  limb  of  the  fold  slope  away  from  the  axis  at 
a  greater  angle  than  do  the  strata  forming  the  other  side  or  limb  of  the 
fold.  If  wells  were  sunk  on  opposite  sides  of  this  fold  at  points  equi- 
distant from  its  axis,  such  as  at  points  A  and  B,  Figs.  16  and  17,  it  is 
evident  that  a  well  sunk  at  point  A  would  strike  the  oil-sand  at  a  much 
less  depth  than  would  a  well  sunk  at  point  B. 


186 


CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


Third — The  overturned  fold,  as  shown  at  D,  Fig.  16.  In  this  case 
a  well  sunk  at  point  C  would  penetrate  the  oil-sand  on  both  sides  of  the 
fold.  When  erosion  has  worn  away  the  crown  of  an  overturned  fold,  as 
shown  at  D,  Fig.  17,  a  geological  problem  presents  itself,  which  in  many 


.Upright  Fold. 
Fig.  15. 


\ 


Wells  on  Inclined  Fold. 


Fig.  17. 


Wells  on  Overturned  Fold. 


instances  requires  the  investigation  of  a  wide  area  in  order  to  obtain  a 
satisfactory  solution. 

12.4.4.  Illustration  D,  Fig.  17,  shows  mistakes  which  are  qurte  likely 
to  be  made  by  drilling  on  an  overturned  fold.  If  an  outcrop  of  oil-sand 
had  been  discovered  at  point  K,  the  dip  at  the  outcrop  would  coincide 


GEOLOGICAL    STRUCTURE    PERTAINING    TO    PETROLEUM. 


187 


with  OM,  the  axis  of  the  fold.  Unless  the  structure  of  the  formation 
were  known,  it  would  naturally  be  supposed  that  the  dip  of  the  oil-sand 
stratum  was  fully  shown  by  the  exposed  rocks  at  point  K.  If  well  G 
were  drilled,  the  oil-sand  would  be  struck  at  point  I,  and  the  oil-sand 
stratum  would  be  penetrated  lengthwise  between  I  and  N.  This  would 
lead  to  the  erroneous  conclusion  that  a  very  thick  stratum  of  oil-sand 
had  been  penetrated.  If  well  J  were  drilled  with  the  intention  of  strik- 
ing the  oil-sand  at  0,  it  is  obvious  that  the  oil-sand  would  be  missed 
altogether.  This  illustrates  the  advisability  of  exhausting  all  the  evi- 
dence in  sight  concerning  the  structural  geology  of  a  locality  before  wells 
are  located. 

12.4.5.  It  is  quite  probable  that  in  many  instances  the  dip  of  strata 
greatly  increases  at  short  distances  from  anticlinal  axes.  Moreover,  as 
the  axis  of  a  syncline  is  approached,  the  strata  may  be  pushed  over  so 
that  they  dip  backward  toward  the  axis  of  the  anticline,  giving  the  fold 


Fan-shaped  Fold. 
Pig.  18. 

a  fan-shaped  structure,  as  shown  on  the  right  in  Fig.  18.  If  oil-yielding 
formations  were  folded  in  this  manner,  it  is  obvious  that,  although  the 
oil-sand  mighi  be  struck  at  a  reasonable  depth  near  the  axis  of  the 
anticline,  as  in  the  case  of  wells  A  and  B,  Fig.  18,  a  very  short  distance 
farther  down  the  slope  of  the  fold  the  oil-sand  might  plunge  to  so  great 
a  depth  that  it  could  not  be  profitably  reached  by  the  drill. 

12.4.6.  Photos  33,  34,  and  35  illustrate  the  plication  met  with  in  the 
Coast  Ranges.  Photo  33  looks  like  an  upright  fold,  especially  at  the  point 
photographed.  Investigation  showed  that  the  strata  forming  the  side 
of  the  fold  on  which  the  derrick  is  situated  dip  at  a  less  angle  than  do 
the  strata  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  fold.  The  fold  is,  therefore,  slightly 
inclined.    Photo  34  is  a  good  representation  of  an  inclined  fold.    Photo  35 


188  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING   BUREAU. 

illustrates  the  contortions  to  which  rocky  strata  are  subjected,  and  of 
which  the  overturned  fold  is  a  type.     (See  also  Photos  1  and  20.) 

12.4.7.  A  question  here  suggests  itself  as  to  the  depth  at  which  the 
rocks  cease  to  be  affected  by  folds.  It  is  evident  that  where  the  axes  of 
the  folds  are  close  together,  strata  inclined  at  a  moderate  angle  could 
not  extend  to  a  great  depth;  but  where  the  angle  of  the  dip  approaches 
the  vertical,  the  lowest  portion  of  the  inclined  strata  may  be  deeply 
buried.  A  simple  calculation  shows  that  in  the  case  of  folds,  the  axes 
of  which  are  1200'  apart,  other  things  being  equal,  the  greatest  depth 
attained  by  strata  dipping  at  50°,  60°,  70°,  and  80°,  respectively,  would 
be  :  At  50°,  715';  at  60°,  1039';  at  70°,  1648';  at  80°,  3403'.  In  any  case, 
there  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  smaller  folds  disappear  as  great  depth 
is  attained,  and  that  strata  in  the  zone  underlying  them  are  affected  by 
greater  folds,  to  which  the  smaller  folds  are  secondary  structures. 

12.4.8.  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  compressed  folds  do  not  extend 
to  a  great  depth  in  a  uniform  curve,  but  that  the  rock-masses  have  been 
readjusted  by  reciprocal  movement.  Wherever  there  has  been  so  much 
stratigraphical  disturbance  as  is  the  case  in  the  Coast  Ranges,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  structural  conditions  must  be  afiected,  not  only  by  faults  and 
fractures,  but  also  by  the  thinning  or  thickening  of  the  softer  strata,  on 
account  of  the  compression  to  which  they  have  been  subjected. 

12.4.9.  A  supposed  case  will  illustrate  the  relation  of  anticlinal  folds 
to  oil-lines.  Thus,  let  Fig.  19  represent  oil-yielding  strata  as  CC  and 
00  and  the  inclosing  rocks  thrown  into  an  anticlinal  fold,  the  axis  of 
which  extends  between  points  B  and  E.  HH  is  the  line  of  outcrop,  or 
the  line  along  which  the  oil-sand  comes  to  the  surface.  An  examination 
of  this  outcrop  and  a  study  of  the  geological  structure  of  the  formation 
would  enable  operators  to  determine  a  suitable  point  at  which  to  sink 
their  first  well.  The  derricks  shown  in  this  illustration  indicate  that 
an  oil-line  has  been  developed  on  the  east  side  of  the  fold.  It  will  be 
observed  that  the  oil-line  runs  parallel  to,  and  at  no  great  distance 
from,  the  axis  of  the  fold. 

Distance  DA  represents  the  breadth  of  the  oil-line,  which  is  supposed 
to  include  only  two  rows  of  wells,  for  east  of  point  A  the  oil-sand  might 
lie  too  deep  to  be  profitably  reached  by  the  drill.  If  the^  investigations 
showed  that  the  geological  formation  had  been  thrown  into  a  fold  such 
as  that  shown  in  Fig.  19  and  an  oil-line  had  been  developed  on  the  east 
side  of  the  fold,  it  would  be  reasonable  to  expect  the  existence  of  a 
similar  oil-line  on  the  opposite  or  west  side  of  the  fold,  and  that,  like 
the  oil-line  on  the  east  side,  it  would  run  parallel  to,  and  at  no  great 
distance  from,  the  axis  of  the  fold.  (See  Fig.  20.)  On  the  west  side  of 
the  fold  the  angle  of  the  dip  is  less  than  it  is  on  the  east  side.  There- 
fore, the  oil-line  is  wider  on  the  west  than  on  the  east  side  of  the  fold, 
thus  permitting  more  than  two  rows  of  wells  to  be  drilled  with  profit. 


PHOTO  35.    OvEUTt'KNED  Fold,  San  Pedro  Peninsula,  Los  Angeles  County. 


Ideal  section  of  oil  field  on  anticlinal  fold;  oil-line  developed  on  one  limb  of  the  fold. 

Fig.  19. 


Ideal  .section  of  oilfield  on  anticlinal  fold;  oilline  developed  on  both  sides  of  fold. 
Ifa  Fig.  20. 


GEOLOGICAL   STRUCTURE    PERTAINING   TO    PETROLEUM.  189 

In  order  to  further  prospect  the  territory,  well  X  might  be  deepened, 
and  a  second  stratum  of  oil-sand  discovered.  It  is  obvious  that  a  dis- 
covery of  a  second  oil- sand  would  greatly  increase  the  value  of  the  terri- 
tory, for  not  only  might  wells  be  drilled  which  would  tap  both  strata  of 
oil-sand,  but  remunerative  wells,  such  as  Y  and  Z,  might  be  drilled  and 
derive  their  oil  entirely  from  the  second  oil-sand.  It  might  be,  that 
while  one  side  of  the  fold  furnished  valuable  oil-territory,  the  formations 
on  the  other  side  would  be  so  crushed  and  broken  that  remunerative 
wells  could  not  be  obtained;  or,  as  shown  in  Fig.  21,  the  oil-line  might 
be  cut  in  two  by  a  fault,  or  a  part  of  it  might  have  slipped  down  to  too 
great  a  depth  for  the  oil-sand  to  be  reached  by  the  drill. 

As  previously  mentioned,  the  dark  line  HH  on  the  east  side  of  the 
fold  represents  the  outcrop  of  the  oil-sand  with  seepages  of  oil.  On  the 
west  side  of  the  fold  the  slope  of  the  hill  is  supposed  to  be  covered  with 
alluvium.  The  line  of  outcrop  of  any  stratum  is  the  line  along  which 
it  comes  to  the  surface. 

12.4.10.  In  prospecting  for  petroleum  or  any  other  mineral  the  out- 
crop is  a  most  important  guide.  Thus,  supposing  the  black  line  HH  to 
be  the  oil-sand,  an  examination  of  the  outcropping  stratum  would  show 
the  direction  in  which  the  oil-sand  extends,  and  the  angle  at  which  it 
dips  or  is  inclined.  Consequently,  the  depth  at  which  the  oil-sand 
could  be  struck  by  drilling  at  any  distance  from  the  outcrop  might  be 
calculated.  When,  however,  the  exposed  rocks  are  situated  near  the 
axis  of  a  fold,  or  the  fold  of  which  they  form  a  part  is  overturned,  they 
are  by  no  means  an  infallible  guide  as  to  the  prevailing  angle  of  the 
dip.  In  locating  an  oil-well,  the  character  of  the  fold  affecting  the 
rocks  about  to  be  prospected  should  be  taken  into  account,  as  demon- 
strated by  the  type-folds  described  in  this  paper. 

In  most  instances,  however,  only  glimpses  of  the  outcrop  can  be 
obtained.  As  in  the  case  of  stratum  00  (Fig.  19),  the  oil-sand  may  be 
covered  by  a  great  thickness  of  overlying  rock,  and  the  existence  of  oil- 
yielding  formations  may  be  indicated  only  by  an  oil-spring,  or  they 
may  have  been  accidentally  discovered  by  drilling.  When  such  buried 
oil-yielding  formations  have  been  discovered  on  any  particular  fold,  and 
the  position  of  the  oil-sand  with  regard  to  the  inclosing  rocks  has  been 
determined,  the  probable  course  of  the  oil-lines  may  be  ascertained  by 
tracing  the  course  of  the  fold.  It  is  quite  important  to  ascertain 
Avhether  or  not  the  oil- sand  lies  conformably  beneath  the  rocks  which 
cover  it;  or,  in  other  words,  whether  or  not  the  oil-sand  is  folded  in  the 
same  way  as  the  rocks  which  are  exposed  at  the  surface.  In  hills  and 
mountains,  however,  it  is  more  than  likely  that  the  prospector  will  be 
assisted  by  glimpses  of  the  oil-sand  in  ravines  and  canons,  where  the 
overlying  rocks  have  been  cut  through  by  erosion. 

12.4.11.  There  are  structural  conditions  of  the  rocky  strata  besides 


190  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 

that  of  folding  which  may  determine  the  existence  and  the  course  of 
oil-lines.  The  most  important  of  these  are  faults.  As  there  are  many 
who  may  not  have  studied  structural  geology,  it  might  not  be  out  of 
place  to  say  a  few  words  on  that  subject. 

Faults  are  breaks  or  displacements  in  the  rocky  strata,  whereby 
blocks  of  the  earth's  crust  have  been  elevated,  depressed,  or  pushed 
over  one  another.  Where  only  depression  or  elevation  has  taken  place, 
they  are  called  normal  or  gravity  faults;  where  pushing  over  has 
occurred,  they  are  called  reversed  or  thrust  faults.  The  fractures  are 
occasioned  by  the  stretching  or  compression  of  the  rocky  strata.  In  the 
case  of  thrust  faults,  the  controlling  power  is  the  thrust  or  stress  occa- 
sioned by  the  compression;  and,  in  the  case  of  gravity  faults,  it  is  the 
force  of  gravity. 

In  areas  of  great  compression,  like  that  of  the  Coast  Ranges,  it  might 
be  supposed  that  all  the  faults  would  be  thrust  faults,  but  in  many 
instances  the  fracture  which  occasioned  the  fault  is  nearly  vertical  to 
the  plane  of  the  horizon,  in  which  case  the  force  of  gravity  may  control 
the  thrust. 

The  faults  most  likely  to  result  in  the  formation  of  oil-lines  are  those 
which  have  been  caused  by  fractures  extending  in  the  direction  of  the 
strike  of  the  formation,  and  which  have  allowed  blocks  of  the  earth's 
crust  to  slip  past  one  another,  so  that  they  are  arranged  in  the  form 
of  steps. 

12.4.12.  Let  Fig.  22  represent  a  series  of  rocky  strata  inclosing  a 
stratum  of  oil-sand,  the  dip  being  at  an  angle  of  about  30°.  If  well  Z 
is  2000'  deep,  the  oil-sand  west  of  this  well  would  be  too  far  below  the 
surface  to  be  profitably  reached  by  the  drill.  Let  us  suppose  that,  owing 
to  fractures  at  points  B  and  D,  a  fault  was  formed  by  block  BD  slipping 
down,  as  shown  in  Fig.  23.  When  erosion  has  worn  away  the  surface 
(see  Fig.  23)  two  oil-lines  might  be  formed,  and  the  oil  might  be  reached 
by  wells  of  moderate  depth  between  points  E  and  B,  as  well  as  between 
B  and  D. 

In  Fig.  23  a  gravity  fault  is  used  for  purposes  of  illustration,  and  it 
will  be  observed  that  the  fracture  slopes  toward  the  block  which  has 
slipped  down.  Thrust  faults,  when  the  fissures  which  formed  them  are 
nearly  vertical,  might  produce  similar  results,  so  far  as  the  multiplica- 
tion of  the  oil-line  is  concerned;  but  in  the  case  of  thrust  faults  the 
fractures  would  slope  toward  the  block  which  has  been  elevated.  When 
faults  are  close  together  the  rocks  are  likely  to  be  so  crushed  that  the 
oil-line  has  been  destroyed. 

12.4.13.  Lines  of  geological  disturbance  may  show  faults  at  one  point 
and  a  well-marked  fold  at  another.  Other  things  being  equal,  the  ques- 
tion of  faulting  or  folding  is  determined  by  the  character  of  the  rocks, 
the  thickness  of  the  strata,  and  the  conditions  to  which  they  are  sub- 


GEOLOGICAL  STRUCTURE  PERTAINING  TO  PETROLEUM. 


191 


Ideal  section  of  oil-field  on  anticlinal  fold:  one  limb  of  the  fold  broken  by  faults. 

Fig.  21. 


Section  showing  strata  inclosing  oil-iand  stratum. 
Fig.  22. 


Oil-lines  formed  by  faulting. 
Fig.  23. 


192  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

jected.  In  the  movement  which  occasioned  the  faulting  or  folding, 
deeply  buried  strata  are  more  likely  to  be  folded  than  to  be  fractured  or 
faulted ;  while  with  less  deeply  buried  strata  the  reverse  is  the  case.  In 
most  instances  beds  of  soft  material  are  likely  to  be  more  crumpled  and 
folded  at  acute  angles  than  are  harder  rocks,  but  where  the  hard  rocks 
are  thin-bedded  they  are  often  as  severely  crumpled  as  the  softer  rocks. 

12.4.14.  In  many  localities  the  rocks  are  found  to  be  affected  by  more 
than  one  order  of  folds.  In  most  instances  we  find  dominant  folds 
which  have  controlled  the  prevailing  strike  and  dip  of  the  formation, 
and  cross-folds  which  have  a  different  strike  to  that  of  the  dominant 
folds.  At  points  where  the  cross-folds  strike  the  axes  of  the  dominant 
folds,  the  tendency  is  to  form  dome-like  elevations,  or  to  occasion  a  great 
complexity  of  structure  by  plication  and  fracture. 

12.4.15.  The  foregoing  remarks  on  structural  geology  are  sufficient  to 
indicate  the  structure  which,  in  most  instances,  controls  the  course  of 
oil-lines  in  a  country  where  the  formations  have  been  much  disturbed. 

So  far  as  observed,  the  oil-lines  in  the  Coast  Ranges  are  governed  by 
structural  conditions,  such  as  are  described  in  this  paper.  A  continued 
study  of  the  development  of  our  oil-fields  will  still  further  show  how 
nearly  the  facts  disclosed  by  the  drill  conform  to  the  recognized  types 
of  geological  structure  ;  and  a  record  of  such  observations  cannot  fail  to 
be  beneficial  to  the  development  of  the  petroleum  industry. 

Where  the  rocks  are  closely  folded,  as  they  are  in  most  of  the  oil- 
districts  of  the  Coast  Ranges,  drillers  are  likely  to  meet  with  anomalous 
experiences,  owing  to  faulting  and  shifting  incidental  to  the  rearrange- 
ment of  rock-masses,  and  this  necessitates  extended  observation  and 
great  care  in  making  deductions. 

12.4.16.  The  folds  and  geological  structures  to  be  seen  in  the  hills 
and  mountains  where  the  rocks  are  exposed,  do  not  necessarily  termi- 
nate in  the  uplands;  they  also  extend  beneath  the  alluvium  of  the 
valleys.  Oil-lines  that  have  been  discovered  in  the  hills  and  mountains 
may  be  followed  into  the  valleys  where  the  rocks  are  covered  with 
alluvium. 

'  It  would  be  expected  that  in  districts  where  there  has  been  much 
geological  disturbance  oil-lines  would  be  broken  and  of  irregular  extent; 
this  is  found  to  be  the  case  in  California.  In  the  Coast  Ranges  the 
longest  unbroken  oil-line  yet  developed  is  that  of  the  Central  oil-field 
at  Los  Angeles  and  its  western  extension,  which  constitute  an  oil-line 
more  than  2  miles  in  length. 

12.4.17.  The  financial  risks  of  prospecting  for  oil  vary  greatly.  Oil- 
prospecting  propositions  may  be  divided  into  two  orders: 

First — The  "  orthodox  "  proposition.  In  this  case  the  prospectors 
have  in  view  a  definite  oil-yielding  stratum,  which  has  proved  remunera- 
tive in  adjacent  territory,  and  from  which  stratum  they  expect  to  obtain 


GEOLOGICAL  STRUCTURE  PERTAINING  TO  PETROLEUM.        193 

their  oil.  Moreover,  they  have  satisfactory  geological  evidence  in  sight 
that  the  oil-stratum  they  have  in  view  forms  an  oil-line  through  the 
territory  they  are  about  to  prospect. 

Second — The  "  wild-cat  "  proposition.  In  this  instance  the  prospect- 
ors have  no  definite  oil-stratum  in  view  which  has  proved  remunerative 
in  adjacent  territory,  or  they  have  not  satisfactory  geological  evidence 
in  sight  that  an  oil-yielding  stratum,  which  is  known  to  be  productive 
in  adjacent  territory,  forms  an  oil-line  through  the  land  they  are  about 
to  prospect. 

In  prospect  wells  of  the  first  order  the  least  risk  is  taken  where  the 
outcrop  of  an  oil-sand,  which  has  proved  remunerative  in  a  certain  oil- 
field, can  be  actually  traced  through  the  territory  to  be  prospected,  and 
the  geological  structure  of  the  locality  is  known. 

More  risk,  however,  is  undertaken  where  there  is  no  outcrop  of  the  oil- 
sand,  although  the  strike  and  dip  of  a  remunerative  body  of  oil-sand 
in  an  adjacent  oil-field  are  known,  and  the  rocks  overlying  the  oil-sand 
can  be  traced  to  the  territory  about  to  be  prospected.  When  an  oil-line 
has  been  developed  on  one  side  of  a  fold,  under  certain  conditions  shown 
in  Fig.  19,  and  an  outcrop  of  oil-sand  has  been  discovered  on  the  other 
side  of  the  fold,  propositions  to  prospect  this  side  must  be  classed  among 
the  more  risky  "orthodox"  propositions. 

Most  oil-mining  enterprises  which  have  for  their  object  the  develop- 
ment of  new  territory,  especially  when  operations  are  conducted  at  a 
distance  from  any  known  oil-field,  are  "wild-cat"  propositions.  Some 
idea  of  the  conditions  regulating  the  amount  of  risk  involved  in  such 
enterprises  may  be  gathered  from  the  following  statements : 

The  least  risky  "  wild-cat"  proposition  is  the  case  in  which  the  strike 
and  dip  of  a  remunerative  stratum  of  oil-sand  in  adjacent  territory  have 
been  ascertained,  and,  although  there  is  no  conclusive  geological  evidence 
in  sight,  it  is  found  after  carefully  platting  a  map  of  the  territory  that, 
if  the  stratum  of  oil-sand  were  extended  in  the  direction  of  its  strike, 
without  any  material  alteration  of  the  angle  of  the  dip,  it  would  form 
an  oil-line  across  the  territory  to  be  prospected.  It  is  a  more  risky 
"wild-cat"  proposition  to  prospect  the  side  of  a  fold  opposite  to  that  on 
which  an  oil-line  has  been  developed  (as  shown  in  Figs.  19,  20,  21,  and 
23)  in  cases  where  surface  indications  warrant  the  assumption  that  the 
same  sequence  of  formation  exists  on  both  sides  of  the  fold,  and  yet  no 
outcrop  of  oil-sand  has  been  discovered  on  the  side  about  to  be  pros- 
pected. 

It  is  a  still  more  risky  "wild-cat"  proposition  when  a  stratum  of  oil- 
sand  has  been  discovered,  concerning  which  nothing  is  known  except 
that  the  sand  gives  evidence  of  containing  oil,  and  a  well  is  sunk  for 
the  first  time  to  determine  whether  or  not  the  oil-sand  contains  oil  in 
remunerative  quantities. 
13— Bl9 


194  CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

It  is  a  much  more  risky  "wild-cat"  proposition  where  no  outcrop  of 
oil-sand  has  been  discovered,  but  where  a  well  has  been  sunk  in  a  certain 
formation  because  it  shows  some  irregular  seepages  of  petroleum,  or 
because  the  formation  appears  to  be  similar  to  that  containing  a  remuner- 
ative body  of  oil-sand  in  other  places. 

12.4.18.  It  is  well  for  oil-prospectors  to  study  the  risk  they  are  about 
to  take  before  expending  money,  and  care  should  be  taken  to  control 
sufficient  territory  that  they  may  have  sufficient  room  to  develop  their 
oil-field,  in  case  their  venture  proves  successful.  No  one  should  under- 
take the  more  risky  forms  of  prospecting  unless  he  can  well  afford  to 
lose  the  money  to  be  put  into  the  enterprise. 

12.4.19.  In  California  petroleum  is  found  in  shales,  limestones,  sand- 
stones, and  conglomerates,  and  in  a  few  instances  crystalline  rocks 
are  found  impregnated  with  it;  but  in  nearly  all  of  the  productive 
wells  the  oil  is  found  saturating  sandy  strata.  In  this  State  the  folding 
of  the  rocks  has  brought  these  oil-soaked  strata  near  the  surface,  and 
the  oil-lines,  or  lines  along  which  remunerative  wells  can  be  obtained, 
are  parallel  to  the  axes  of  folds,  or  to  the  lines  of  faulting.  The  oil- 
lines  extend  in  breadth  only  a  certain  distance  down  the  limbs  of  the 
folds  or  down  the  block  of  tilted  strata,  which  has  been  isolated  by  fault- 
ing. The  lateral  extent  of  the  oil-line  is  limited  at  its  upper  margin 
by  the  outcrop  of  the  oil-sand,  or  by  a  line  of  geological  disturbance 
such  as  a  fault,  or  by  the  oil-sand  being  brought  too  close  to  the  surface 
at  the  axis  of  the  fold  on  which  the  oil-line  is  situated.  On  its  lower 
margin  it  is  limited  by  the  dip  of  the  formation,  which  carries  the  oil- 
yielding  stratum  to  too  great  a  depth  for  it  to  be  profitably  reached  by 
the  drill;  or,  where  the  oil-sand  is  struck  below  a  certain  depth,  it  may 
be  found  that  water  has  displaced  the  oil. 

12.4.20.  As  geologists  and  oil-men  know,  the  dip  and  the  strike  of 
the  oil-sand  are  of  the  greatest  importance  in  locating  the  site  of  an  oil- 
well,  and  in  the  case  of  prospect  wells  the  dip  and  the  strike  have  to  be 
ascertained  from  the  exposed  rocks. 

Many  people  are  not  familiar  with  geological  terms,  therefore  it  is  in 
order  to  describe  what  is  meant  by  the  dip  and  the  strike  of  a  stratum 
of  rock,  and  to  give  simple  methods  for  determining  the  conditions 
represented  by  these  terms. 

The  dip  of  a  stratum  of  rock  is  the  angle  which  its  surface,  when 
inclined,  makes  with  the  horizon.  The  strike  is  the  horizontal  direction 
in  which  a  stratum  of  rocks  extends,  and  is  always  at  right  angles  to 
the  dip.  Therefore,  if  the  direction  of  the  dip  is  known,  the  strike  can 
be  readily  determined. 

The  direction  of  the  dip  of  an  inclined  stratum  corresponds  to  a  line 
drawn  along  the  inclined  surface  in  the  direction  of  its  greatest  inclina- 
tion, and  is  always  at  right  angles  to  the  strike.  (See  article  by  the 
writer  in  the  "  Mining  and  Scientific  Press,"  Feb.  4,  1899.) 


GEOLOGICAL  STRUCTURE  PERTAINING  TO  PETROLEUM. 


195 


12.4.21.  The  following  is  a  simple  method  for  determining  the  dip  of 
exposed  strata  with  sufficient  accuracy  for  practical  purposes: 

In  Fig.  24  let  P  Q  D  C  represent  the  surface  of  an  inclined  stratum. 
It  is  required  to  determine  the  direction  in  which  it  dips,  and  the  angle 
at  which  it  is  inclined. 

If  a  plumb-bob  be  suspended  from  a  partly  open  rule,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  24,  and  the  open  ends  of  the  rule  be  turned  in  the  direction  of  the 
dip  until  the  plumb-line  forms  one  side  of  a  triangle  with  the  two  limbs 
of  the  rule,  then  the  lower  limb  G  H  will  lie  in  the  direction  of  the  dip; 
for  the  plumb-line  will  only  complete  the  triangle  with  the  limbs  of  the 
rule  when  its  lower  limb  is  placed  on  I  K,  the  line  of  greatest  inclina- 
tion of  stratum  P  Q  D  C.  -kiio^ 
This  can  be  seen  by  turn-  \ 
ing  the  rule  so  that  limb          ^ 


G  H  falls  on  line  L  M  or  S^^ 
N  0,  neither  of  which  is  V, 
the  line  of  greatest  incli- 
nation of  the  stratum. 
It  will  then  be  seen  that, 
while  the  limb  GH  is  in 
either  of  these  positions, 
or  any  other  position 
except  the  one  which 
coincides  with  the  line 
I  K,  the  plumb-line  and 
the  limbs  of  the  rule  will 
not  form  a  triangle. 

If  E  F,  the  upper  limb 
of  the  rule,  be  placed 
in  a  horizontal  position 
and  the  lower  limb  G  H  on  I  K,  the  line  of  greatest  inclination,  the  side 
of  the  triangle  formed  by  the  plumb-line  will  be  opposite  the  angle  of 
the  dip.  The  value  of  this  angle  may  be  found  from  the  two  sides  of 
the  triangle  formed  by  a  portion  of  the  upper  limb  of  the  rule  and  the 
plumb-line. 

The  angle  of  the  dip  may  also  be  ascertained  with  approximate  accur- 
acy by  carefully  laying  the  rule,  opened  as  explained  in  the  preceding 
paragraph,  on  a  piece  of  paper,  drawing  the  angle  and  measuring  it  with 
a  protractor. 

Some  rules  are  furnished  with  a  clinometer  scale,  by  which  the  angle 
formed  by  the  open  limbs  of  the  rule  is  indicated. 

It  will  be  apparent  to  mathematicians  that,  if  the  upper  side  of  the 
triangle  be  considered  as  radius,  the  plumb-line  will  represent  the 
tangent  of  the  angle  of  the  dip;  and  if  the  hypothenuse,  i.  e.,  the  lower 


Fig.  24. 
Diagram  illustrating  method  of  determining  dip  of  exposed 

strata. 


196 


CALIFOKNIA   STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


side  of  the  triangle,  be  considered  as  radius,  the  plumb-line  will  represent 
the  sine  of  the  angle  of  the  dip. 

As  previously  mentioned,  the  strike  is  always  at  right  angles  to  the 
dip.  Thus,  in  the  case  of  stratum  P  Q  D  C,  if  the  direction  of  the  dip, 
as  shown  by  line  I  K,  is  found  to  be  S.  20°  E.,  the  strike  will  be  repre- 
sented by  line  P  Q,  at  right  angles  to  line  I  K,  and  the  stratum  will 
extend  in  a  horizontal  direction  with  a  strike  of  S.  70°  W.,  or  N.  70°  E. 

Care  should  be  taken  that  the  surface  of  the  stratum,  the  dip  of  which 
is  to  be  ascertained,  really  is  a  bedding  plane.  It  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  the  bedding  planes  are  seldom  true  planes,  as  they  are  sub- 
ject to  many  inequalities. 

Therefore,  if  possible,  the  dip  should  be  estimated  at  several  places 
on  the  same  stratum,  and  the  average  of  the  results  taken  as  the  dip. 
In  estimating  the  dip  of  a  stratum  of  rock  by  this  method,  it  is  well  to 


Depth  100 


clear  off  a  space  on  the 
surface  of  the  stratum, 
and  to  lay  thereon  a 
board,  thus  getting  a 
better  surface  on  which 
to  work. 

12.4.22.  When  a  re- 
munerative oil-yielding 
stratum  has  been  discov- 
ered, its  strike  and  dip 
should  be  determined  by 
■p  drilling   three  wells  ac- 

Depth  boo'  cording  to  the  following 
method : 

In  Fig.  25  let  A,  B,  and 
C  be  three  wells  in  which 
the  oil-sand  has  been 
struck  at  100',  500',  and 
250',  respectively,  below  any  datum-plane,  such  as  a  horizontal  plane 
touching  the  top  of  well' A.  Draw  A  B,  and  let  it  represent  a  horizontal 
distance  of  600'.  If  a  point  be  found  between  wells  A  and  B,  at  which 
the  oil-sand  can  be  struck  at  a  depth  of  250'  below  the  datum-plane,  a 
line  drawn  from  well  C  to  that  point  must  necessarily  be  drawn  along 
the  strike  of  the  formation;  and  if  a  line  be  drawn  at  right  angles  to 
the  strike  of  the  formation  and  toward  the  deepest  well,  that  line  will 
necessarily  be  drawn  in  the  direction  of  the  dip  of  the  formation.  More- 
over, the  figure  contains  the  elements  from  which  the  angle  of  the  dip 
may  be  calculated. 

The  question  is,  at  what  point  along  the  line  A  B  will  a  well  strike 
the  oil-sand  at  250'  below  the  datum-plane.     The  distance  A  B  is  600'; 


Fig.  25. 

Diagram  illustrating  method  of  determining  strike  of 

oil-sand  stratum. 


GEOLOGICAL    STRUCTURE    PERTAINING    TO    PETROLEUM.  197 

the  difference  in  the  depth  of  wells  A  and  B  is  400';  therefore,  the  grade 
of  the  surface  of  the  oil-sand  A  and  B  is  400'  in  600',  or  2'  in  3'.  Hence, 
wells  situated  along  line  A  B  and  sunk  to  strike  the  stratum  of  oil-sand, 
would,  if  measured  from  the  datum-plane,  increase  in  depth  as  well  B 
was  approached,  and  the  depths  would  be  in  proportion  to  the  distance 
from  A  measured  along  A  B. 

It  is  required  to  find  a  point  along  the  line  A  B  at  which  the  oil-sand 
may  be  struck  250'  below  this  line,  or  150'  deeper  than  at  A.  Since  the 
increase  in  depth  of  wells  which  may  be  sunk  from  the  datum-plane  to 
the  oil-sand  along  the  line  A  B  is  at  the  rate  of  2'  in  depth  to  every  3' 
of  horizontal  advance  toward  B,  the  distance  from  well  A  to  the  required 
point  will  be  to  the  increase  of  depth  of  well  at  the  required  point  as 
3  to  2,  or  one  and  one  half  times  150',  which  is  225'.  Lay  off  A  D  =  225'- 
As  point  D  is  225'  distant  from  well  A,  along  line  A  B,  a  well  sunk  at 
point  D  will  strike  the  oil-sand  at  a  depth  of  250'  below  the  datum- 
plane.  Hence,  a  line  drawn  from  C  to  D  will  give  the  direction  of  the 
strike  of  the  oil-sand  stratum. 

Or  the  proposition  may  be  stated  thus:  The  grade  of  the  stratum  of 
oil-sand  between  wells  A  and  B  is  400'  (the  difference  between  the  depth 
of  the  wells  at  A  and  B)  divided  by  600'  (the  horizontal  distance 
between  the  two  wells),  which  gives  two  thirds  of  a  foot  in  depth  to  one 
foot  along  A  B.  Dividing  150'  (the  diflterence  of  depth  of  wells  A  and  C) 
by  two  thirds  of  a  foot,  we  obtain  the  distance  225',  which  is  the  dis- 
tance A  D.  Therefore,  if  a  well  were  sunk  at  D,  the  oil-sand  would  be 
struck  at  a  depth  of  250'.  Draw  the  line  C  D.  Now,  it  is  evident  that 
a  well  sunk  at  any  point  along  C  D  would  strike  the  oil-sand  at  a  depth 
of  250'.  Hence,  as  before  stated,  the  line  C  D  is  the  direction  of  the 
strike  of  the  oil-sand  stratum.  Moreover,  any  line  drawn  at  right 
angles  to  line  C  D,  and  in  the  direction  of  the  deepest  well,  will  be  drawn 
in  the  direction  of  the  dip  of  the  formation. 

It  is  now  required  to  find  the  angle  at  which  the  oil-sand  dips,  and 
this  can  be  found  as  follows  :  From  B  draw  B  E  at  right  angles  to  C  D 
(the  line  of  strike).  This  line  E  B  is  the  direction  of  the  dip  of  the 
formation.  By  measurement,  we  find  that  line  E  B  is  330'.  If  a  well 
were  sunk  at  point  E,  it  would  strike  the  oil-sand  at  a  depth  of  250' 
below  the  datum-plane.  Therefore,  the  grade  along  the  surface  of  the 
oil-sand  in  the  direction  of  E  B  is  250'  in  330';  and  this  grade  represents 
an  angle  of  about  37°.  If  the  meridian  be  represented  by  the  arrow  in 
Fig.  25,  then  the  oil-sand  penetrated  by  the  wells  A,  B,  and  C  dips 
S.  80°  E.,  at  an  angle  of  about  37°,  and,  consequently,  the  strike  is 
N.  10°  E. 

12.4.23.  When  a  remunerative  stratum  of  oil-sand  has  been  struck 
and  the  angle  at  which  it  dips  has  been  ascertained,  as  shown  in  the 
foregoing  paragraphs,  the  distance  from  any  of  the  wells,  as  B,  to  the 


198 


CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


point  at  which  the  oil-sand  ought  to  crop  out  at  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  if  it  were  on  a  level  with  the  datum-line,  can  be  determined. 
This  is  done  by  the  following  method  : 

Let  Fig.  26  represent  a  vertical  cross-section  drawn  through  the 
ground-plan  of  Fig.  25,  along  line  B  E,  and  extended  along  the  line  of 
dip  toward  the  outcrop.  Let  B  6  represent  500',  the  depth  of  well  B, 
and  let  E  e  represent  the  depth  of  a  well  which,  if  sunk  at  E,  would 
strike  the  oil-sand  at  a  depth  of  250',  as  explained  in  a  preceding  para- 
graph. It  is  required  to  find  the  point  at  which  the  stratum  of  oil-sand, 
struck  in  well  B,  ought  to  crop  out  at  the  surface  of  the  ground,  pro- 
vided the  surface  were  on  a  level  with  the  datum-line  and  not  covered 
with  alluvium.  Through  points  6  and  e,  or  the  top  of  the  oil-sand 
stratum,  draw  6  e,  and  extend  it  until  it  cuts  the  datum-line  ;  the  point 
where  it  cuts  this  line  is  at  L.  If  the  distance  between  B  and  L  be 
measured,  it  will  be  found  to  be  about  660',  which  is  the  distance  between 

well  B  and  the  outcrop. 

^ If    the    surface    of    the 

ground  sloped  upward 
from  the  datum-line,  as 
indicated  by  the  outline 
H  Y,  it  is  evident  that 
the  oil-sand  would  crop 
out  at  a  point  above  the 
datum-line.  This  point 
can  be  found  by  extend- 
ing line  h  L  till  it  strikes 
the  surface.  It  is  obvi- 
ous that  if  the  surface  of 
the  ground  sloped  down- 
ward from  any  point,  such  as  H  on  the  datum-line,  the  outcrop  would 
be  below  the  datum-line. 

The  angle  at  which  the  oil-sand  dips,  and  the  distance  from  well  B  to 
the  outcrop,  may  be  found  by  measurement  and  the  simple  methods 
already  given,  with  sufiicient  accuracy  for  practical  purposes.  But,  if 
a  closer  estimate  is  desired,  it  can  be  obtained  by  the  following  trigono- 
metrical formulas : 

From  the  right-angled  triangle  a  eh  (see  Fig.  26),  of  which  a  e  =  330' 
and  a  6  =  250',  we  have  : 

Cot.  of  angle  of  dip  (a  e  &)  =  330'-t-250'=37°  8'  48". 

From  the  right-angled  triangle  B  L  6,  of  which  B  6^500',  and  angle 
a  e  6  =  angle  B  L  &  =  37°  8'  48",  we  have  : 

B  L  =  500'  X  cot.  37°  8'  48"=  660'. 

That  is  to  say,  the  distance  from  well  B  to  the  outcrop  at  L,  meas- 


FlG.  26. 

Diagram  illustrating  method  of  determining  dip  of  oil-sand 

stratum. 


GEOLOGICAL  STRUCTURE  PERTAINING  TO  PETROLEUM.        199 

ured  on  the  datum-plane,  equals  the  depth  of  the  well  multiplied  by  the 
cotangent  of  the  angle  of  the  dip. 

12.4.24.  If  in  the  first  instance  an  outcrop  of  oil-sand  had  been  dis- 
covered at  point  F,  and  well  B  had  been  sunk  to  strike  it,  then  it  becomes 
important  to  determine  whether  or  not  the  previously  discovered  outcrop 
of  the  oil-sand  is  identical  with  the  outcrop  of  the  oil-sand  as  determined 
by  calculation.  It  has  been  found  that  the  angle  of  the  dip  would  cause 
the  oil-sand  struck  in  well  B  to  come  to  the  surface  at  point  L  or  Y. 
Therefore,  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  discovered  outcrop  which 
comes  to  the  surface  at  F  represents  a  stratum  of  oil-sand  underlying 
that  penetrated  by  wells  A,  B,  and  C.     (See  Fig.  25.) 

If  an  outcrop  of  oil-sand  had  been  discovered  at  F  and  well  B  sunk 
and  oil-sand  had  been  struck  at  500',  it  would  naturally  be  supposed 
that  the  oil-sand  stratum  discovered  at  point  F  had  been  reached.  If 
struck  a  little  sooner  than  expected,  it  might  be  accounted  for  on  the 
supposition  that  there  is  some  irregularity  in  the  dip;  but  when  three 
wells  are  sunk  and  the  dip,  calculated  by  the  method  of  triangulation 
already  explained,  shows  that  the  stratum  of  oil-sand  struck  in  wells 
A,  B,  and  C  ought  to  appear  at  L  or  Y,  it  is  presumptive  evidence  that 
the  outcrop  of  oil-sand  discovered  at  F  is  a  stratum  underlying  that 
penetrated  by  the  wells.  When  no  outcrop  of  oil-sand  has  been  dis- 
covered, it  is  important  to  find  out  where  the  outcrop  ought  to  be  in  order 
that  some  idea  may  be  had  on  the  ground  as  to  the  width  of  that  por- 
tion of  the  oil-line  which  lies  between  the  well  and  the  outcrop. 

In  all  these  calculations  everything  must  be  reckoned  with  reference 
to  a  common  datum,  which  is  preferably  the  horizontal  plane  passing 
through  the  highest  or  lowest  part  of  the  oil-field  in  which  the  calcula- 
tions are  made.  Oil-fields  should  be  developed  by  this  method  of 
triangulation,  or  some  modification  of  it.  In  the  development  of  an  oil- 
field in  California  it  is  expected  that  many  cases  will  occur  where  the 
calculations  will  not  tally  with  the  results,  for  the  reason  that  there  are 
irregularities  in  the  formation;  but  taken  as  a  whole,  progress  by  trian- 
gulation is  the  only  safe  method  of  procedure. 

It  will  be  evident  to  mathematicians  that  the  calculations  herein  set 
forth  may  be  made  by  various  formulas. 

12.4.25.  From  the  foregoing  paper  it  will  appear  that,  although  the 
element  of  risk  is  inseparable  from  petroleum  mining,  it  is  greatly 
diminished  by  competent  and  careful  preliminary  work,  consisting  of: 

First — A  study  of  the  structural  features  of  the  locality  wherein 
operations  are  to  be  conducted. 

Second — By  following  a  systematic  method  of  triangulation  for  deter- 
mining the  strike  and  dip  of  the  oil-sand,  and  the  site  of  new  oil-wells. 

When  a  remunerative  oil-line  has  been  discovered  it  should  be  devel- 
oped gradually;  and  in  districts  where  there  has  been  much  geological 
disturbance,  it  is  better  to  limit  the  distance  between  wells  to  about  300'. 


200  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

If  oil-lines  are  discovered  on  both  sides  of  an  anticlinal  fold,  it  is  well 
to  develop  them  simultaneously,  by  which  means  a  correct  idea  as  to 
the  structure  of  the  fold  may  be  obtained. 

By  prospecting  and  developing  territory  on  the  lines  mentioned  in 
this  paper,  a  few  wells  may  be  so  located  as  to  demonstrate  in  most 
instances  the  value  of  the  territory;  whereas  wells  drilled  without  due 
regard  to  the  geological  conditions  of  the  locality  demonstrate  nothing 
more  than  the  value  of  the  rocks  they  actually  penetrate,  and  several 
wells  may  be  drilled  which  prove  only  the  same  fact  instead  of  the 
group  of  facts  on  which  the  value  of  an  oil-field  depends. 

12.4.26.  From  the  foregoing  discussion  it  is  apparent  that  the  depth 
of  oil-wells  depends  on  the  angle  at  which  the  oil-sand  dips,  and  the 
distance  the  wells  are  from  the  outcrop  of  the  oil-sand,  or  from  the  axis 
of  the  fold  or  the  fault-line  on  which  the  wells  are  situated.  As  a  gen- 
eral statement  it  may  be  said  that  the  most  productive  wells  are  about 
1000'  in  depth,  some  being  much  deeper. 

12.4.27.  The  "life"  and  yield  of  such  wells  are  naturally  varied. 
Some  wells  are  "spouters"  and  "start  off"  by  flowing  several  hundred 
barrels  of  oil  a  day,  but  in  most  instances  the  flow  subsides  and  the  well 
becomes  an  ordinary  "pumping-well."  In  some  instances  wells  have 
"started  off"  with  a  yield  of  100  bbls.  or  more  a  day  by  pumping,  but, 
in  the  course  of  from  two  to  six  years,  the  yield  has  diminished  to 
10  bbls.  or  less  a  day.  In  other  instances  the  first  yield  was  less  than 
100  bbls.  a  day,  but  the  rate  of  production  was  better  sustained  during 
the  "life"  of  the  well.  In  some  oil-fields,  the  wells  are  considerably  less 
than  1000'  in  depth,  but,  as  a  rule,  their  yield  is  not  so  great  as  that  of 
the  deeper  wells. 

12.4.28.  The  cost  of  drilling  wells  varies  according  to  the  accessibility 
of  the  locality  where  the  well  is  situated,  and  the  character  of  the  for- 
mation penetrated. 

The  following  statement  as  to  the  cost  of  drilling  1000',  exclusive  of 
the  cost  of  casing,  is  a  consensus  of  opinion  obtained  by  correspondence 
with  several  well-known  oil-producers: 


Locality. 


Los  Angeles  and  the  Kern  River  district 

ThePuente  Hills --. 

Newhall  and  Territory  on  the  north  side  of  the  valley  of  the  Santa 
Clara  River 

The  foothills  of  the  Coast  Ranges  on  the  west  side  of  the  San 
Joaquin  Valley 


Cost  of  Drilling  1000'. 


$1,000  00  to  $3,500  00 
3,500  00  to    7,000  00 

5,000  00  to    7,500  00 

2,000  00  to    7,000  00 


12.4.29.     A  review  of  the  oil-fields  in  the  Coast  Ranges  leads  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  most  favorable  locality  in  which  to  drill  "prospect      ^ 
wells"  is  one  wherein  a  definite  stratum  of  oil-sand  has  been  discovered 


CHARACTER    OF   CALIFORNIA    PETROLEUM,    FUEL    VALUE,    ETC.  201 

in  a  formation  belonging  to  a  geological  horizon  known  to  include  pro- 
ductive oil-measures  in  other  places;  preferably  there  should  be  seepages 
of  liquid  petroleum  at  or  near  the  locality  in  which  prospect  wells  are 
to  be  drilled,  and  the  angle  at  which  the  oil-sand  dips  should  not  be 
more  than  50°  nor  less  than  10°.  As  stated  in  a  previous  chapter,  it 
may  be  said  that,  in  a  general  way,  the  oil-lines,  or  lines  along  which 
remunerative  wells  may  be  found,  follow  the  strike  of  the  axes  of  folds 
in  the  rocks,  or  the  course  of  faults  which  have  isolated  blocks  of  strata 
inclosing  the  oil-yielding  rocks.  It  is  evident  that  the  oil-yielding 
formations,  in  common  with  the  other  rocks  of  the  Coast  Ranges,  show 
great  geological  disturbance,  and  the  complex  structure  resulting  there- 
from gives  rise  to  somewhat  difficult  geological  problems.  It  follows 
that  the  tracing  of  oil-lines  in  this  State,  and  the  development  of  oil- 
fields, necessitate  a  competent  knowledge  of  structural  geology,  without 
which  the  risks  of  oil-mining  are  greatly  increased. 


CHAPTER  5. 

THE    CHARACTER     OF     CALIFORNIA    PETROLEUM,     FUEL 

VALUE,  ETC. 

12.5.1.  The  character  and  fuel  value  of  California  petroleum  were 
treated  at  some  length  in  Bulletins  Nos.  3  and  11,  published  by  the  State 
Mining  Bureau.  Since  these  bulletins  are  out  of  print,  the  leading  facts 
concerning  the  character  and  fuel  values  of  California  petroleum  are 
recapitulated  in  this  chapter,  and  other  data  available  at  this  writing 
are  added  hereto.  It  is  not  within  the  scope  of  this  paper  to  enter  into 
a  lengthy  discussion  concerning  the  vexed  question  as  to  the  origin  of 
petroleum;  still  it  is  in  order  to  give  a  short  summary  of  the  principal 
hypotheses  by  which  the  formation  of  petroleum  has  been  explained. 
As  is  well  known,  the  origin  of  petroleum  has  been  accounted  for  in 
three  ways: 

First — By  the  chemical  combination  of  inorganic  matter. 

Second — By  chemical  change,  with  or  without  natural  distillation,  of 
animal  matter. 

Third — By  chemical  change,  with  or  without  natural  distillation,  of 
vegetable  matter. 

The  first  of  these  hypotheses  requires  either  that  petroleum  must 
have  been  originally  produced  by  the  actual  combination  of  carbon  and 
hydrogen  then  existing  in  the  cosmical  matter  of  which  the  earth  is 
made,  or  that  it  results  from  chemical  reactions  between  the  substances 
formed  from  the  primitive  elements,  such  as  the  action  of  water  on 
metallic  carbides.     The  advocates  of  the  first  theorv  refer  to  the  fact 


202  CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 

that  hydrocarbons  similar  to  those  forming  petroleum  have  been  formed 
in  the  laboratory  by  the  action  of  water  on  metallic  carbides,  notably 
that  of  steam  on  iron  carbide;  also  by  the  action  of  water  on  calcium 
carbide.  The  latter  process  is  now  one  of  common  use  in  the  produc- 
tion of  acetylene  gas  for  domestic  purposes.  The  occurrence  of  bitu- 
minous matter  and  the  occlusion  of  hydrocarbon  gases  in  meteorites 
have  also  been  referred  to  by  the  advocates  of  the  first  theory.  They 
mention  the  fact  that  bitumen  has  been  found  in  trappean  rocks  and 
in  quicksilver  deposits,  and  refer  to  the  discovery  of  boracic  acid  in 
water  accompanying  springs  of  petroleum  at  the  Island  of  Trinidad. 

According  to  the  second  hypothesis,  petroleum  is  derived  from  animal 
organisms.  Supporters  of  this  theory  point  out  that  petroleum  has 
been  manufactured  in  the  laboratory  from  fish-oil  soap  and  from  fish- 
oils;  also,  that  petroleum  is  found  in  limiestones  rich  in  animal  remains, 
and  that  nitrogen  is  a  constituent  of  many  petroleums,  in  some  forming 
as  much  as  1%  of  the  mass. 

According  to  the  third  hypothesis  petroleum  is  derived  from  vegetable 
matter.  The  supporters  of  this  theory  rely  on  the  facts  that  petroleum 
has  been  manufactured  in  the  laboratory  from  vegetable  oils ;  from 
vapors  arising  from  boiling  varnish,  and  by  the  distillation  of  wood, 
and  from  decaying  seaweed  from  which  air  has  been  excluded.  Some 
of  them  point  out  that  putrefaction  and  decay  would  destroy  the  animal 
matter  before  it  could  be  converted  into  petroleum.  At  first  sight  the 
objection  to  the  animal-matter  theory  on  the  ground  of  rapid  putrefac- 
tion seems  a  very  serious  objection,  but  inquiry  shows  that  when  fish 
are  cast  upon  a  sandy  shore  they  are  frequently  buried  in  the  sand  before 
many  tides  have  rolled  over  them.  It  is  not  the  larger  animals  only 
which  are  to  be  regarded  as  a  probable  source  of  petroleum.  The  corals 
and  the  microscopic  foraminifera  and  diatoms,  the  skeletons  of  which 
in  some  places  are  the  principal  constituents  of  strata  hundreds  of  feet 
in  thickness,  must  be  regarded  as  contributing  no  inconsiderable  quota 
of  hydrocarbon  material  from  which  petroleum  might  be  formed. 
Bearing  in  mind  the  immense  amount  of  seaweed  which  in  all  ages  has 
flourished  in  the  ocean,  it  is  impossible  not  to  recognize  this  material  as 
a  probable  source  from  which  petroleum  may  have  been  formed.  This 
view  is  strengthened  by  the  fact  that  water  accompanying  petroleum  in 
the  Central  Valley  of  California  is  rich  in  iodine.     (See  Bulletin  No.  3.) 

Since  it  is  evident  that  hydrocarbons  similar  to  those  found  in  petro- 
leum can  be  manufactured  in  the  experimental  laboratory  by  any  one 
of  the  processes  named,  there  does  not  appear  to  be  any  reason  why 
petroleum  should  not  be  formed  by  any  or  all  of  such  processes  in  the 
greater  laboratory  of  nature ;  nor  is  it  possible  for  us  to  figure  out  what 
reactions  may  take  place  between  the  hydrocai-bons  themselves  in  deeply 
buried  strata  when  they  are  subjected  to  temperatures  and  pressures  of 
unknown  quantities. 


CHARACTER   OF   CALIFORNIA    PETROLEUM,    FUEL    VALUE,    ETC. 


203 


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CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 


12.5.2,  A  general  idea  of  the  character  of  the  petroleum  obtained  in 
the  Tertiary  rocks  of  California  may  be  formed  by  inspecting  the  fol- 
lowing tables.  The  samples  of  petroleum  included  in  Table  No.  1  (page 
203)  are  from  oil-measures  which,  as  before  described,  are  referred  to 
the  lower  portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene  formations.  These  oils  are 
essentially  fuel  oils,  as  is  shown  by  their  fractional  constituents.  The 
percentages  given  are  volumetric  and  the  temperatures  are  those  in  the 
head  of  the  retort. 

The  samples  included  in  Table  No.  2  are  from  oil-measures  which,  as 
before  described,  are  referred  to  the  Eocene  formations.  These  oils  are 
of  a  much  lighter  specific  gravity  and  contain  more  volatile  constitu- 
ents than  are  found  in  the  oils  included  in  Table  No.  1. 

TABLE  No.  2. 


Temperature  at 

which  Distillate 

was  Cut  Off. 


Tar  Creek. 


B 


100°  c. 
150°  C. 
200°  C. 
250°  C. 
300°  C. 
350°  C. 


Gravity  of  crude  oil. 

Naphtha 

Naphtha 

Illuminating  oil 

Illuminating  oil 

Lubricating  oil 

Lubricating  oil 


23°  B. 


23°  B. 


7.6%  60°  B. 
11.0%  55°  B. 
10.4%  41°  B. 
12.4%  34°  B. 

6.0%  29°  B. 


8.4%  63°  B. 

8.0%  58°  B. 

10.4%  45°  B. 

14.2%  33°  B. 

4.0% 


TABLE  No.  2— Continued. 


Temperature  at 

which  Distillate 

was  Cut  Oflf. 


Four  Forks. 


Kentuck. 


Coalinga 
(Oil  City). 


100°  C. 
150°  C. 
200°  C. 
250°  C. 
300°  C. 
350°  C. 


Gravity  of  crude  oil. 

Naphtha.. 

Naphtha 

Illuminating  oil 

Illuminating  oil 

Lubricating  oil 

Lubricating  oil 


22°  B. 


Traces. 

6.9%  52°  B. 
16.8%  45°  B. 

9.7%  38°  B. 

6.6%  33°  B. 


25°  B. 


6.0%  64°  B. 

8.6%  54°  B. 

10.0%  44°  B. 

12.2%  36°  B. 

.  2.5%  32°  B. 


34°  B. 

0.6% 
32.0%    45°  B. 
27.0%    38°  B. 
16.6%    30°  B. 


12.0%    24°  B. 


The  samples  included  in  Table  No.  3  are  for  the  most  part  of  a 
lighter  gravity  than  the  samples  included  in  Tables  Nos.  1  and  2. 
Samples  marked  A,  B,  and  C  were  distilled  by  the  late  W.  D.  Johnston, 
chemist  to  the  California  State  Mining  Bureau.  The  sample  from  the 
Puente  wells  is  from  formations  which,  as  previously  described,  are 
referred  to  the  lower  portion  of  the  Middle  Neocene  series,  although  the 


CHARACTER    OF   CALIFORNIA    PETROLEUM,    FUEL    VALUE,    ETC. 


205 


gravity  of  the  oil  suggests  a  source  of  greater  age.  The  same  remarks 
apply  to  the  sample  from  the  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's  wells,  and 
also  to  the  oils  obtained  at  the  Torrey  Caiion  and  from  the  Bardsdale 
wells  in  Ventura  County.  The  sample  from  Tunitas  Creek  is  from  rocks 
of  Eocene  age,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  sample  from  Moody  Gulch 
was  obtained  in  formations  belonging  to  a  similar  geological  horizon. 

TABLE  No.  3. 


Puente  Oil- Wells. 

Pacific  Coast 

Oil  Company, 

Pico  Caiion 

Well  No.  4. 

Tunitas 

Creek,  San 

Mateo 

County. 

Moody  Gulch, 

Santa  Clara 

County. 

Sample  No.  1. 

Sample  No.  2. 

A 

B 

C 

Gravity   of   crude 
oil .: 

Temperature      at 
which  distillate 
was  cut  off : 
100°  C 

23°  B. 

28°  B. 

40°  B. 

9.1%  69°  B. 
10.4%  59°  B. 

9.3%  54°  B. 
13.4%  48°  B. 
13.9%  41°  B. 

8.3%  35°  B. 

45°  B. 

9.9%  68°  B. 
17.3%  59°  B. 
19.5%  54°  B. 

17.2%  46°  B. 

11.8%  37°  B. 

6.0%  33°  B. 

44°  B. 

9.4%    65°  B. 

125°  C 

150°  C 

200°  C 

250°  C. -- 

300°  C.  .- 

350°  C 

Traces. 
15.9%  52°  B. 
10.8%  45°  B. 

9.3%  35°  B. 

2.9%  33°  B. 

10.2%  61°  B. 
13.5%  55°  B. 
12.2%  43°  B. 
10.2%  36°  B. 
8.3%  34°  B. 



24.4%    57°  B. 

17.1%    47°  B. 

14.8%    39°  B. 

3.6%    34°  B. 

A  scrutiny  of  these  tables  indicates  that  on  the  ground  of  physical 
composition  alone  there  is  a  wide  range  in  the  products  that  can  be 
manufactured  from  California  petroleum. 

With  the  exception  of  a  sample  of  oil  from  the  Cretaceous  formations 
of  Colusa  County,  all  the  samples  of  oil  which  have  been  examined  by 
tl)e  writer  showed  an  asphaltic  base;  i.  e.,  the  residuum,  after  the  distil- 
lation of  the  lighter  hydrocarbons,  was  an  asphalt,  or  a  heavy  tar  of 
asphaltic  character.  These  asphaltic  oils  form  asphaltum  on  exposure 
to  the  atmosphere. 

12.5.3.     The  residuum  from  the  Colusa  County  oil  is  not  an  asphalt; 

1  physically,  it  resembles  the  residuum  from  Eastern  asphaltum.     The 

:  Colusa   County  oil  does  not  form  asphaltum  on   exposure  to  the  air. 

Two  samples  of  the  Colusa  County  petroleum   were  distilled  by  the 

i  writer,  and  their  distillates  compare  with  distillates  from  a  sample  of 

asphaltic  oil,  as  follows: 

Sample  A,  from  Colusa  County. 

By  Volume.  Specific  Gravity. 

Crude  oil 0.982,    about  12°  B. 

Distillate  below  250°  C 1%  

Distillate  between  250°  C.  and  325°  C 60%  0.950,    about  17°  B. 

Nearly  all  the  distillates  came  over  300°  C. 


206 


CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


Sample  B,  from  Colusa  County. 

This  sample  contained  b.  s.  (sludge). 

By  Volume. 

Crude  oil - -•- - 

Distillate  below  280°  C -.     Traces 

Distillate  below  300°  C ..- ---     16.250% 

Distillate  below  350°  C - 3.122% 

At  a  somewhat  higher  temperature - 43.750% 

Sample  of  Oil  from  Los  Angeles. 

By  Volume. 

Crude  oil  - - -- --- 

Distillate  below  150°  C Traces 

Distillate  below  200°  C Traces 

Distillate  below  250°  C --         8% 

Distillate  below  300°  C 13.6% 

Distillate  below  350°  C - - -- 3% 

Sample  of  Oil  from  Kern  River  Oil-Field. 

(Analysis  byThos.  Price  &  Son,  of  San  Francisco.) 

Specific  gravity  of  crude  oil,  0.962  (15°  B.). 

One  bbl.  of  44  gals,  will  weigh  352.72  lbs. 

Sample  was  free  from  water,  clay,  and  sand. 

1,000  volumes  of  the  oil,  on  fractional  distillation,  yielded  as  follows: 


Specific  Gravity. 
0.9835,  about  11°  B. 


0.9111,  about  24°  B. 
0.9600,  about  16°  B. 
0.9788,  about  13°  B. 


Specific  Gravity. 
0.9534,  about  17°  B. 


0.8330,  about  38°  B. 
0.8653,  about  32°  B. 


Degrees. 

Volume. 

Specific 
Gravity. 

Degrees  B. 

Weight. 

240°  to  300°       

109 
100 
134 

.874 
.896 
.915 

30 
26 
23 

95.26 

300°  to  350°       

89.60 

122.61 

140 

.925 

21 

129.50 

From  360°  gradually  up  to  a  dull  red 

143 

.928 

20% 

132.70 

heat ■ 

143 

.930 

20K 

133.00 

183 

.939 

19 

171.83 

21 

.958 

16 

171.83 

*- 

27 

.958 

16 

20.01 
77.49 

1.000 

960.00 

Flashing  point  of  crude  oil,  400°  F. 

"  The  uniformity  of  the  various  products  for  a  range  of  temperature 
from  360°  F.  to  a  dull  red  heat  is  a  good  characteristic  in  a  fuel  oil,  as 
such  oils  will  exhibit  great  regularity  in  burning.  At  a  temperature  of 
140°  C,  this  oil  is  very  fluid.  The  calorific  value  of  the  oil  is  22.985 
British  thermal  units.  The  theoretical  evaporation  per  pound  of  oil,  at 
a  pressure  of  8  atmospheres,  is  17iV  lbs.  Under  similar  conditions,  the 
best  coals  coming  to  this  market  (San  Francisco)  show  an  evaporation 
of  from  12  to  13  lbs." 


CHARACTER    OF   CALIFORNIA    PETROLEUM,    FUEL    VALUE,    ETC. 


20i 


I      12.5.4.     The  ultimate  analyses  of  samples  of  oil  from  California  and 
the  Eastern  States  compare  as  follows: 


Locality  where  Oil 
was  Obtained. 

Specific 
Gravity. 

Nearest 
Degree. 

C. 

H. 

0. 

N. 

s. 

By  Whom 

Analyzed. 

Oil  Creek,  Pa 

0.730 
0.840 

62°  B. 
30°  B. 

82.0 
84.3 
86.934 
84.0 

14.8 
14.1 
11.817 
12.7 

3.2 
1.6 

1.2 

Deville 

West  Virginia 

Deville 

California 

1.1095 
1.7 

0.4 

Pprkhnm 

California 

0.920 

22°  B. 

Salathe 

An  examination  of  the  foregoing  table  shows  that  in  the  California 
oils  the  content  of  carbon  as  compared  to  that  of  hydrogen  is  greater 
than  it  is  in  oils  from  Eastern  States.  Concerning  crude  oils  from  Los 
Angeles  and  Ventura  counties,  Dr.  Salathe  says: 

12.5.5.  "These  crude  oils,  all  of  which  carry  asphalt,  are  held  in 
combination  with  the  high  boiling  members  of  the  hydrocarbon  series 
and  are  of  a  very  complex  constitution,  which  conditions  render  their 
refining  exceedingly  difficult.  By  a  series  of  chemical  reactions  and 
fractional  distillations,  I  have  succeeded  in  isolating  various  hydro- 
carbons which  define  clearly  the  presence  of  the  following  hydrocarbon 
series: 

"(a)   Hydrocarbons  of  the  paraffin,  or  fatty,  series. 

"(6)  Hydrides,  or  hydron,  additional  products  of  the  benzole  series, 
and  homologous  hydrocarbons. 

"(c)   Pyridin  and  chinolin  series. 

"(d)  Isomeres  of  the  terpene  series. 

"(e)  Sulphureted  hydrocarbons. 

"The  refining  of  the  crude  California  oils  is  not  an  easy  task,  and  they 
require  refining  methods  different  from  those  practiced  with  Eastern  or 
Russian  oils.  The  complicated  nature  of  this  class  of  asphaltic  crude 
oils  necessitates  complete  elimination  of  all  unstable  hydrocarbons  by 
inexpensive  practical  processes.  Another  great  difference  exists  between 
the  specific  gravities  of  Eastern  oil  distillates  and  those  of  California 
oils.  Viscosity  of  distillate  or  reduced  stock  being  equal,  the  gravities 
are  from  5°  to  6°  B.  lower  in  California  oil  fractions  than  in  those  of 
Eastern  oils.  Flash  and  fire  tests  are  from  10°  to  30°  F.  lower  in  Cali- 
fornia oil  distillates  than  in  Eastern  distillates  of  the  same  gravity. 


208 


CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 


Crude 
Oil.    i 


Lubricating 

Distillate, 


28°  Gas 

Distillate, 


42°  Distillate  . 


"The  following  is  a  diagram   of  products    available  from  California 

crude  oil  by  refining,  showing  where  re-distillation  is  required: 

'Asphalt    .     .    . >- Asphalt,  different  grades 

of  hardness  or  liquid 
asphalt. 

Reduced  stock,  valve  oil, 
etc.,  14°  to  16°  B. 

Heavy  lubricating  oil, 
engine  oil,  21°  B. 

Neutral  oil,  23°  B. 

Light  lubricating  oil, 
spindle  oils,  26°  B. 

Gas  distillate,  28°  B. 

Residue. 

■Mineral  sperm,  38°  B. 

Illuminating  kerosene, 
45°  B. 

Residue,  50°  B. 

Benzin,  63°  B. 

Gasoline,  76°  B. 

"The  average  yield  of  products  from   100  bbls.  of  Ventura  County 

mixed  crude  oils  of  24°  B.,  determined  by  actual  running  on  a  large 

scale,  is  as  follows: 

Gasoline,  76°  B 3  bbls. 

Benzin,  63°  B 4 

Kerosene,  45°  B... - 15 

Heavy  kerosene,  38°  to  40°  B 8 

Gas  distillate,  28°  B 21 

Light  lubricating  (spindle)  oil,  26°  B 10 

Neutral  oil,  23°  B 12 

Heavy  neutral  oil,  21°  B.. 6 

Reduced  stock,  lubricating  oil,  14°  B 5 

Asphalt,  crude - - 11 

Loss - --  5 

"  The  extraction  of  pyridin  bases  with  dilute  sulphuric  acid  should  be 
done  before  the  re-distillation  of  the  distillates,  as  the  treatment  of  those 
distillates  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  will  otherwise  form  certain 
sulpho-conjugated  products,  which,  during  the  washing  process  with 
water  and  alkali,  decompose  and  re-enter  into  solution  with  the  refined 
products." 

(See   resume   of   Original    Researches   and   Analysis   and   Refining 


Crude  Naphtha, 
58°-60°  B 


CHARACTER    OF   CALIFORNIA    PETROLEUM,   FUEL    VALUE,    ETC.  209 

Methods  of  Petroleum,  mainly  from  the  southern  counties  of  California, 
by  F.  Salathe,  Ph.D.,  in  Bulletin  No,  11  of  the  California  State  Mining 
Bureau.) 

12.5.6.  Several  years  ago  Dr.  C.  P.  Williams  made  a  careful  exami- 
nation of  certain  of  the  lighter  distillates  from  Southern  California 
petroleum.  His  experiments  showed  that  the  samples  tested  were  com- 
posed of  the  following  hydrocarbons: 

Name  of  Hydrocarbon.  Approximate  Amount 

Contained  in  Sample. 

Paraffin 25% 

Olefin 30% 

Aromatic  hydrocarbons _..  20% 

Naphthalene  --. 25% 

12.5.7.  As  is  well  known,  the  petroleum  of  the  Eastern  States  is  com- 
posed principally  of  hydrocarbons  of  the  paraffin  series.  As  previously 
mentioned,  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  the  California  oil  is  used  for 
fuel,  and  that  in  a  crude  state.  It  is  the  general  opinion  of  those  Avho 
use  oil  as  fuel  that,  weight  for  weight,  there  is  not  much  difference  be- 
tween the  fuel  value  of  oils  of  different  specific  gravities,  provided  the 
oils  are  clean,  or  a  suitable  allowance  is  made  for  water  and  other  foreign 
substances  which  they  contain.  A  portion  of  the  oil  is  used  for  fluxing 
asphaltum  and  for  the  manufacture  of  illuminating  gas,  and  a  portion 
is  refined.  The  portion  refined  yields  crude  naphtha,  illuminating  oil, 
gas  distillate,  lubricating  oil,  and  asphaltum.  The  naphtha  distilled 
from  California  oils  is  of  special  value  for  use  in  gasoline  engines.  Those 
who  have  made  comparative  tests  of  California  and  Eastern  gasoline  in 
gasoline  engines  claim  a  superiority  for  the  California  product. 

12.5.8.  As  might  be  expected  from  the  foregoing  statements  concern- 
ing the  relative  composition  of  petroleum  from  the  Eastern  States,  and 
the  asphaltic  oil  of  California,  illuminating  oil  manufactured  in  this 
State  contains  more  carbon  and  less  hydrogen  than  does  illuminating 
oil  manufactured  from  Eastern  petroleums.  The  result  is  that  when 
burned  under  similar  conditions,  California  oil  gives  a  more  smoky  flame 
than  does  oil  manufactured  from  Eastern  petroleum.  This  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  it  requires  more  oxygen  to  effect  the  complete  combustion  of 
carbon  than  it  does  to  consume  hydrogen. 

12.5.9.  As  previously  stated,  the  petroleum  obtained  from  the  Cre- 
taceous formations  of  Colusa  County  is  not  an  asphaltic  oil.  Should 
the  petroleum  from  this  county  prove  to  be  paraffin,  and  be  obtained 
in  sufficient  quantities,  it  might  yield  distillates  which  would  blend 
with  the  illuminating  oil  manufactured  from  our  asphaltic  petroleum 
and  offset  the  excess  of  carbon  which  it  contains. 

A  comparison  of  the  fractional  distillations  of  the  Colusa  County  oil 
with  that  of  the  asphaltic  oil  from  Los  Angeles  shows  a  marked  dis- 
crepancy in  the  boiling-point  and  in  the  specific  gravity  of  the  distillates; 
14— Bl9 


210 


CALIFORNIA    STATE   MINING    BUEEAU. 


the  excessive  gravity  and  high  boiling-point  of  the  Colusa  County  oil 
indicate  that  it  is  a  valuable  lubricant.*  There  is  no  doubt  that  as  time 
goes  on,  more  use  will  be  made  of  the  constituents  of  our  asphaltic  oils 
in  chemical  manufacture.  One  use  was  pointed  out  by  Dr.  Salathe,  who 
says:  "The  occurrence  of  pyridin  and  chinolin  bases  in  California  crude 
oil  opens  up  a  new  resource  for  these  products,  which  are  largely  used 
for  the  synthetical  production  of  alkaloids,  dyes,  etc.,  and  in  a  large 
measure  for  denaturalizing  alcohol  in  Europe." 

12.5.10.  In  1896,  the  writer  made  calorimetric  experiments  on  the 
fuel  value  of  California  petroleum,  as  stated  in  Bulletin  No.  11  of  the 
California  State  Mining  Bureau,  Part  4,  Chapter  3.  In  the  publica- 
tion referred  to,  the  fuel  value  of  the  petroleum,  as  determined  by  the 
calorimetric  experiments,  is  compared  with  the  fuel  value  of  Nanaimo 
coal;  also  with  the  fuel  value  of  petroleum  as  computed  from  practical 
working  tests  in  locomotives  on  the  Southern  California  Railroad,  In 
Bulletin  No.  11  there  is  also  a  record  of  calorimetric  tests  of  the  fuel 
value  of  petroleum,  made  b}^  Prof.  H.  Stillman  in  the  laboratory  of  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad.  In  1898,  calorimetric  tests  were  made  by 
Messrs.  Jaffa  and  Colby  of  the  University  of  California  on  samples  of  a 
heavy  grade  of  petroleum  from  Summerland,  Santa  Barbara  County. 
The  fuel  values,  determined  by  these  different  estimates,  compared  as 
follows: 

FUEL  VALUES  OF  CALIFORNIA  PETROLEUM  COMPARED  WITH  FUEL  VALUE  OF  COAL. 


<2^ 


P  3 

CD  O 

D 


O   ft: 

aq  p.- 
t-i 

B 

<'>  to 


> 

'I 


(=  5 


o 


r  P  p-o  o 


So 

O  i-n 

S.to 


Nanaimo  coal 


Sample  of  petroleum,  15°  B.,  from  practical  working  test 
in  locomotives  on  Southern  California  R.  R 


Sample  of  crude  petroleum,  16.5°  B.,  tested  by  Prof. 


imp 

stii: 


Stillman 


Sample  of  lubricating  oil,  16°  B.  to  17°  B.,  tested  by 
Prof.  Stillman - 


Sample  of  Los  Angeles  oil,  13°  B.,  tested  by  W.  L.  Watts. 

Maximum  fuel  value  obtained  in  calorimetric  tests  by 
W.  L.  Watts -- 


Minimum  fuel  value  obtained  in  calorimetric  tests  by 
AV.  L.  Watts - 


Sample  of  Summerland  oil  (crude),  tested  by  Messrs. 
Jaffa  and  Colby 


Sample  of  Summerland  oil  extracted  by  naphtha,  by 
Messrs.  Jaffa  and  Colby - 


6,684 


9,800 

10,788 
10,203 

10,381 
9,991 
9,688 

10,242 


6,075,756 
9,886,585 
8,908,200 


9,796,192 


9,274,527 
9,436,329 
9,081,819 
8,806,392 
9,309,978 


3.870 

3.487 

3.834 
3.630 

3.693 

3.554 

3.447 

3.644 


*  See  analysis  of  oil  from  Berryessa  Valley,  Napa  County,  Part  10,  Chapter  4. 


CHARACTER   OF   CALIFORNIA    PETROLEUM,    FUEL   VALUE,    ETC.  211 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  practical  tests  in  locomotives  on  the  rail- 
oad  gave  a  higher  fuel  value  to  the  petroleum  than  did  the  calori- 
metric  tests  in  the  laboratory.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  in  a  furnace 
it  is  possible  to  obtain  a  more  complete  combustion  of  petroleum  than 
of  coal.  In  the  calorimetric  tests  made  by  the  writer,  the  petroleum 
was  cut  with  gasoline,  and  the  fuel  value  of  the  gasoline  was  deducted 
from  the  total  calorific  value.  By  this  method,  an  estimate  was  obtained 
which  corresponds  to  that  by  "the  gasoline  cut"  in  common  use  among 
oil-dealers  for  determining  the  amount  of  foreign  matter  in  petroleum. 

12.5.11.  "The  gasoline  cut"  consists  in  mixing,  in  a  graduated  glass, 
equal  volumes  of  crude  oil  and  gasoline.  The  water  and  foreign  matter 
sink  to  the  bottom  of  the  oil,  and  the  relative  amounts  of  oil  and  foreign 
matter  may  be  noted  by  reading  the  scale  on  the  side  of  the  graduated 
glass  at  the  point  of  contact  between  the  oil  and  residuum.  The 
residuum  at  the  bottom  of  the  glass  consists  of  earthy  matter,  water,  and 
sludge,  or  b.  s.,  as  it  is  known  to  the  trade.  In  many  instances  the 
sludge,  or  b.  s.,  constitutes  several  per  cent  of  the  sample.  It  is  usually 
a  brown  flocculent  precipitate,  heavier  than  oil  and  lighter  than  water. 

The  calorific  value  of  sludge  was  estimated  by  Messrs.  .laffa  and  Colby 
at  4,149  kilogramme  calories,  or  a  little  more  than  40%  of  the  fuel  value 
of  the  sample  of  oil,  which  was  dissolved  in  naphtha.  Prof.  T.  Price, 
of  San  Francisco,  who  has  examined  samples  of  sludge  from  the  Cali- 
fornia oils,  states  that  it  is  composed  principally  of  asphaltene. 

12.5.12.  The  relative  fuel  value  of  coal  and  Los  Angeles  oil  as  shown 
by  combustion  in  furnaces,  is  as  follows: 

The  heating  furnaces  of  Los  Angeles  Steel  and  Iron  Company:  One 
ton  Wellington  coal  equals  2.50  bbls.  of  oil;  for  steam  purposes,  one  ton 
of  Wellington  coal  equals  3  bbls.  of  oil. 

Los  Angeles  Consolidated  Electric  Railroad  Company:  Steam  pur- 
poses, one  ton  of  Wellington  coal  equals  3.62  bbls.  of  oil. 

Los  Angeles  Court  House:  Steam  purposes,  one  ton  of  good  coal 
equals  3.10  bbls.  of  oil. 

Southern  California  Railroad  Company:  Steam  purposes,  one  ton  of 
Nanaimo  coal  equals  4  bbls.  of  oil. 

12.5.13.  A  careful  experiment  was  made  by  the  Western  Sugar 
Refinery  on  the  relative  fuel  value  of  Coalinga  petroleum  and  coal,  and 
the  following  record  of  it  is  from  a  valuable  paper  by  E.  H.  Denicke  of 
the  College  of  Mining,  University  of  California: 

EVAPORATIVE  TEST  OF  COALINGA  OIL. 

Duration  of  test 22  hours. 

Oil  burned 5,233  lbs. 

Water  evaporated... 61,208  lbs. 

Temperature  of  water 67°  Fahr. 

Steam  pressure  above  atmosphere 90  lbs. 

Actual  water  evaporated  per  pound  of  oil 11.69  lbs. 

Equivalent  evaporation  from  and  at  212°... 13.9   lbs. 


212  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

It  was  originally  intended  to  run  this  test  four  days  continuously, 
but  in  consequence  of  poor  combustion,  due  to  defective  arrangement  of 
boilers,  it  was  decided  to  stop  at  the  end  of  twenty-two  hours  to  make 
alterations.  This  was  the  first  test  of  Coalinga  oil  at  the  Western  Sugar 
Refinery,  and  was  made  under  unfavorable  conditions,  but  on  the 
strength  of  this  test  the  whole  method  of  heating  was  changed. 

STATEMENT  OF  COAL  BURNED  IN  1897, 

Showing  Average  Evaporative  Efficiency  from  and  at  212°  Falir.    Efficiency 

Figures  from  Tests  Under  Boiler  No.  22. 

p     ,  ,p  Evaporation  from 

*"°^^-  ^°'^®-  and  at  212°  F. 

CoSperative 8,986  8.88 

Duckenfield 2,957  7.37 

Nanaimo 9,850  7.29 

Wallawah.-. 676  7.70 

Greta --.- - --  9,207  7.56 

Teaham 2,591  8.05 

Wallsend ..- .-  1,080  8.88 

Total ---- 35,347         Av...-7.88 

From  this  table,  obtained  from  best  results,  and  the  foregoing,  there  has 
been  prepared  the  following  table,  which  shows  a  saving  of  $46,012.15 
per  year  by  burning  oil.  But  as  it  was  based  on  the  first  test,  it  is  safe 
to  say  that  the  minimum  saving  over  coal  is  $60,000.  This  does  not 
take  into  account  wear  and  tear  on  boilers  and  general  convenience: 

STATEMENT  OF  COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  OIL  AND  COAL  (Based  on  the  first  trial  test). 

Coal.    (Basis  of  1897.) 

Total  bituminous  coal  received  during  1897 - 35,347  tons- 
Average  evaporation  of  that  coal  from  and  at  212°  Fahr 7.88  lbs- 

Total  water  evaporated  on  that  basis... 624,183,481  lbs- 

Fireroom  cost  of  handling  that  coal,  reckoning  300  days  at  .$64.26 $19,278  00 

Cost  of  coal  for  this  work  on  basis  of  present  price— 35,347  tons  at  .$6.55 ...        .$231,522  85 
Total  cost  of  evaporating  above  quantity  of  water .$250,800  00 

Oil.    (Basis  of  $1.30  per  barrel,  and  13.9  evaporation.) 

Oil  necessary  to  evaporate  above  quantity  of  water 152,739  bbls. 

Cost  of  oil,  at$1.30 --- -- .$198,560  70 

Fireroom  cost  of  handling  that  oil— 300  days  at  .$20.76 $6,228  00 

Total  cost  of  evaporating  the  above  quantity  with  oil $204,788  70 

Equivalent  value  per  ton  of  coal  on  the  above  basis ....  $204,78^8^7^— $19,278  ^^  ^ 

Saving  on  year's  work  by  burning  oil  under  the  above  conditions $46,012  15 

COMPARATIVE  VALUE   OF    COALINGA   OIL   WITH   DIFFERENT  FUELS    USED 

ON   THE  PACIFIC  COAST. 

Evaporation  at    Value  per  ton  com- 
aud  from  pared  with  oil 

Coal.  212°  Fahr.  at  -f  1  30. 

Cooperative  Wallsend.. 8.88  $5  53 

Nanaimo --.-  7.29  4  44 

Greta 7.56  4  60 

Bulli 7.26  4  42 

Wallawah 7.70  4  69 


CHARACTER   OF   CALIFORNIA    PETROLEUM,    FUEL    VALUE,    ETC.  213 

This  table  is  made  up  of  average  coal  tests  and  compared  with  oil  at 
$1.30  per  barrel,  and  an  average  evaporation  from  and  at  212°  of  15.5 
pounds.  The  intermittent  demand  for  steam  at  the  refinery  does  not 
allow  them  to  work  all  of  the  time  on  the  most  economical  metliods,  and 
instead  of  a  test  evaporation  of  16.4  pounds,  the  average  evaporation 
comes  to  15.5  pounds.  Many  tests  have  been  made  at  the  refinery  with 
air-blowing  instead  of  steam,  and  it  has  been  found  cheaper,  but  as  their 
demand  for  steam  is  subject  to  extreme  fluctuations  and  as  air-blowing 
does  not  "  respond  "  as  quickly  as  steam-blowing,  it  is  not  used  under 
their  boilers.  It  is  now  used  under  their  kilns  and  gives  great  satisfac- 
tion. For  a  plant  where  the  demand  for  steam  is  constant,  it  is  much 
cheaper  to  use  air-blowing.  A  different  kind  of  a  burner  must  be  used; 
instead  of  the  lip  of  the  nozzle  being  1"  wide,  as  in  a  steam  burner,  it 
must  be  from  2|"  to  3"  wide,  according  to  the  flame  desired.  Air-blow- 
ing does  not  give  as  perfect  a  flame  as  steam-blowing,  because  the  latter 
heats  the  oil  and  volatilizes  it.  In  using  air  to  blow  with,  practical 
tests  show  that  about  15%  more  air  must  be  added  than  is  necessary  for 
complete  theoretical  combustion.  From  the  above  record  it  is  apparent 
that  one  ton  of  coal  having  the  average  fuel  value  of  the  coal  used  in 
the  experiment  would  have  a  fuel  value  equal  to  about  3.73  bbls.  of 
Coalinga  oil  having  a  specific  gravity  of  0.852,  or  34°  B. 

12.5.14.  Mr.  A.  S.  Cooper,  California  State  Mineralogist,  who  has 
made  a  close  study  of  California  petroleum,  says:  "  A  comparison  of  the 
consumption  of  fuel  oil  with  that  of  coal  shows  3.33  bbls.  of  fuel  oil  to 
be  equivalent  to  one  ton  of  good  imported  coal.  Figuring  oil  at  $1.40 
per  bbl.,  and  coal  at  $7.50  per  ton  in  San  Francisco,  it  shows  the  cost 
of  oil  to  be  $4.66  as  against  $7.50  for  its  equivalent  in  coal.  Moreover, 
the  labor  required  to  operate  with  coal  is  far  greater  than  with  oil,  in 
most  instances  being  nearly  double.  The  perfect  cleanliness  of  fuel  oil 
and  the  ease  and  simplicity  of  supply  and  regulation,  make  it  a  most 
desirable  substitute  for  coal.  As  long  as  coal  remains  at  $7.50  per  ton 
in  California,  it  cannot  be  expected  that  oil  will  fall  below  its  present 
price,  not  at  least  for  some  time  to  come.  In  the  year  1899  there  were 
1,740,027  tons  of  coal  imported  into  the  State  of  California;  to  supplant 
this,  6,794,278  bbls.  of  oil  will  be  required.  As  the  supply  becomes 
more  permanent  the  uses  of  fuel  oil  will  multiply." 

12.5.15.  Several  years  ago,  Mr.  A,  M.  Hunt,  C.E.,  of  San  Francisco, 
made  a  very  able  report  on  the  relative  fuel  value  of  petroleum  and  coal. 
As  compared  with  Carbon  Hill  coal,  he  found  that  the  relative  evapora- 
tive equivalents  were  in  the  following  proportions: 

Carbon  Hill  coal 7.6  lbs.  of  water  to  1  lb.  of  coal. 

California  petroleum 15  lbs.  of  water  to  1  lb.  of  oil. 

This  gives  1.97  to  1  as  the  ratio  of  the  value  of  petroleum  to  the  value 
of  Carbon  Hill  coal. 


214 


CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING   BUREAU. 


Mr.  Hunt  continues:  "The  following  table  shows  the  equivalent  prices 
of  oil  and  Carbon  Hill  coal,  figured  on  the  above  ratio  of  1.97  to  1  and 
taking  oil  as  weighing  310  lbs.  per  barrel,  which  is  the  result  of  a  num- 
ber of  determinations: 


Based  on  Relative  Evapoeative  Equivalents. 

All  Economies  Considered. 

Oil,  per  bbl. 

Coal,  per  ton. 

Coal,  per  ton. 

$1  00 

$3  66 

$3  30 

1  10 

4  03 

3  62 

1  20 

4  40 

3  95 

1  30 

4  77 

4  29 

1  40 

5  14 

4  61 

1  50 

5  51 

4  94 

1  60 

5  87 

5  27 

1  70 

6  23 

5  61 

1  80 

6  59 

5  94 

1  90 

6  95 

6  27 

2  00 

7  21 

660 

"The  third  column  is  figured  on  the  basis  of  the  statements  made  by 
Dr.  Charles  B.  Dudley  in  his  lecture  before  the  Franklin  Institute.  He 
gives  the  relative  evaporating  powers  of  oil  and  coal  as  1.75  to  1,  and 
then  remarks  as  follows: 

."  'There  are  certain  chances  for  economy  in  burning  oil  that  do  not 
occur  with  coal.  Of  these,  there  have  been  pretty  well  worked  out,  as 
just  stated,  economy  in  handling  coal  and  ashes,  and  economy  in  repairs. 
The  amount  of  these  has  been  obtained  in  dollars  and  cents,  and  is, 
perhaps,  best  expressed  by  saying  that,  taking  all  ascertained  economies 
into  account,  a  pound  of  petroleum  is  as  good  as  two  pounds  of  coal.' " 

12.5.16.  The  only  places  where  natural  gas  assumes  sufficient  impor- 
tance to  be  treated  as  a  factor  in  the  mineral  statistics  of  the  State  are 
at  Stockton,  in  San  Joaquin  County,  and  the  City  of  Sacramento.  The 
yield  of  natural  gas  at  Stockton  during  the  last  three  years  has  been  * 

Cubic  Feet.  Value. 

For  1897 --- 63,920,000  $62,657  00 

For  1898 -.   74,424,650  74,424  00 

For  1899 - 102,960,000  84,880  00 

In  the  City  of  Sacramento  the  amount  of  natural  gas  produced  has 
been  as  follows: 

Cubic  Feet.  Value. 

For  1898 ...12,000,000  $10,000  00 

For  1899 12,000,000  10,000  00 

12.5.17.  In  1893,  the  writer  made  a  careful  investigation  as  to  the  fuel 
value  of  the  natural  gas  at  Stockton.  Its  fuel  value  as  compared  with 
that  of  coke  and  Nanaimo  coal  showed  as  follows : 

2,000  lbs.  coke,  carrying  10%  ash  =42,500  cubic  feet  of  gas. 
2,000  lbs.  Nanaimo  coal  ^38,800  cubic  feet  of  gas. 


REVIEW    OF    PETROLEUM    INDUSTRY    IN    CALIFORNIA.  215 

As  stated  in  Bulletin  No.  4  of  the  California  State  Mining  Bureau,  the 
absolute  value  of  natural  gas  is  considerably  in  excess  of  its  calorific 
value.  In  the  Eastern  States,  the  use  of  natural  gas,  instead  of  solid  fuel, 
has  been  found  to  effect  a  saving  of  nearly  50%,  in  addition  to  that 
arising  from  the  greater  cheapness  of  gas  as  compared  with  coal.  This 
economy  results  from  a  saving  in  labor  and  wear  and  tear  of  plant,  and 
from  the  fact  that  a  more  uniform  temperature  can  be  secured  by  the  use 
of  gas  than  by  the  use  of  solid  fuel. 


CHAPTER   6. 


REVIEW  OF  THE  PETROLEUM  INDUSTRY  IN  CALIFORNIA. 

12.6.1.  The  existence  of  petroleum  in  California  has  been  known  for 
many  years.  From  time  immemorial  the  California  Indians  used  this 
mineral,  in  the  form  of  asphaltum,  for  various  purposes.  In  the  early 
history  of  the  State,  the  Catholic  fathers  utilized  it  for  roofing  their 
missions  and  other  buildings. 

It  is  said  that  in  1855  or  1856,  Andreas  Pico  distilled  petroleum  on  a 
small  scale  for  the  San  Fernando  Mission.  He  obtained  his  crude  oil 
from  Pico  Caiion  near  Newhall,  in  Los  Angeles  County;  and  he  was 
probably  the  first  refiner  of  petroleum  in  this  State.  In  1856,  a  com- 
pany commenced  work  at  the  La  Brea  ranch  in  Los  Angeles  County, 
and  tried  to  refine  the  crude  oil.  In  1857  an  attempt  was  made  to  pro- 
duce illuminating  oil  from  crude  petroleum,  at  Carpinteria,  in  Santa 
Barbara  County;  and  there  are  records  of  similar  attempts  having 
been  made  in  other  localities  previous  to  1860,  but  they  were  not 
successful. 

12.6.2.  The  first  scientific  report  on  petroleum  in  California  was 
made  by  Prof.  B.  Silliman,  who  published  his  researches  in  1865.  He 
spoke  favorably  of  the  possibility  of  obtaining  petroleum  in  remunera- 
tive quantities  in  this  State,  and  gave  the  results  of  his  experiments  on 
the  fractional  distillation  of  California  petroleum. 

12.6.3.  The  next  decade  was  marked  by  a  considerable  oil  excite- 
ment in  California,  and  a  great  many  companies  were  formed  for  the 
purpose  of  petroleum  mining,  and  for  distilling  crude  oil. 

In  most  instances,  these  companies  did  not  meet  with  success,  but  it 
must  be  remembered  that  the  pioneer  oil-miners  did  not  have  the  drill- 
ing machinery  of  the  present  day,  and  that  they  only  possessed  a  very 


216  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

limited  knowledge  concerning  the  geological  conditions  pertaining  to 
the  occurrences  of  petroleum  deposits. 

12.6.4.  The  pioneer  distillers  appear  to  have  expected  that  by  the 
fractional  distillation  of  California  petroleum  they  would  obtain  prod- 
ucts similar  to  those  resulting  from  the  fractional  distillation  of  the 
petroleum  found  in  the  Eastern  States,  but  they  were  disappointed.  It 
is  not  surprising  that  in  the  course  of  years  the  smaller  operators 
became  merged  in  larger  concerns. 

12.6.5.  The  most  remarkable  feature  in  the  recent  history  of  the 
petroleum  industry  in  California  is  the  development  of  the  Los  Angeles 
oil-field;  of  the  Summerland  oil-field,  in  Santa  Barbara  County;  of 
Coalinga,  in  Fresno  County;  and  of  the  Kern  River,  the  Sunset,  and 
the  McKittrick  districts,  in  Kern  County.  A  historical  sketch  of  these 
districts  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  Bulletin. 

12.6.6.  In  1887,  when  the  State  Mining  Bureau  made  a  reconnais- 
sance of  the  petroleum  industry  of  California,  the  only  companies 
actually  engaged  in  petroleum  mining  were:  The  Pacific  Coast  Oil  Com- 
pany, in  Pico  Canon;  the  Puente  Oil  Company,  in  the  Puente  Hills,  Los 
Angeles  County;  the  Hardisson  &  Stewart  Oil  Company  (subsequently 
incorporated  as  the  Union  Oil  Company  of  Ventura  County),  and 
McPherson  &  Co.,  in  Moody  Gulch,  in  Santa  Clara  County. 

12.6.7.  In  July,  1900,  there  were  about  250  companies  producing  oil 
in  California,  about  1590  producing  wells,  and  about  470  prospect  w^ells- 

During  the  last  decade  there  has  been  a  steady  increase  in  the  amount 
of  petroleum  produced  in  California,  as  is  shown  by  the  comparative 
statement  at  the  end  of  this  chapter. 

12.6.8.  The  first  refinery  that  can  be  considered  a  commercial  suc- 
cess was  that  of  the  California  Star  Oil  Company,  which  was  situated 
near  Newhall,  in  Los  Angeles  County,  and  managed  by  T.  H.  Scott. 
Subsequently,  refineries  were  erected  at  Alameda,  by  the  Pacific  Coast 
Oil  Company,  and  at  Santa  Paula  by  the  Union  Oil  Company.  At  the 
present  day  there  are  refineries  at  Los  Angeles,  Chino,  Ventura,  Ala- 
meda, Terminal  Island  in  Los  Angeles  County,  and  at  the  Sunset  oil- 
district  in  Kern  County;  also  at  Oleum  in  Contra  Costa  County,  to 
which  place  the  refinery  of  the  Union  Oil  Company  has  been  removed. 


REVIEW   OF    PETROLEUM    INDUSTRY    IN    CALIFORNIA. 


217 


12.6.9.  The  following  is  a  comparative  statement  showing  the  growth 
of  the  petroleum  industry  in  California,  from  statistics  compiled  by 
Chas.  G.  Yale,  statistician  of  the  California  State  Mining  Bureau: 


1897. 

1898. 

1899. 

County. 

Product. 

Value. 

Product. 

Value. 

Product. 

Value. 

Fresno 

70,140 

$70,840 

154,000 

10,000 

1,462,871 

60,000 

132,217 

3,000 

427,000 

$154,000 

10,000 

1,462,871 

60,000 

112,549 

6,000 

571,000 

439,372 

15,000 

1,409,356 

108,077 

208,370 

1,500 

496,200 

$439,372 

Kern  .     

13,500 

Los  Angeles  ... 

Orange.. 

Santa  Barbara . 

Santa  Clara 

Ventura 

1,327,011 

12,000 

130,136 

4,000 
368,282 

1,327,011 
12,000 

130,136 
10,000 

368,282 

1,409,356 

108,077 

191,288 

3,000 

496,200 

1,911,569 

$1,918,269 

2,249,088 

$2,376,420 

2,677,875 

$2,660,793 

PETROLEUM. 


Year. 

Bbls. 

Year. 

Bbls. 

Prior  to  1876 

175,000 

12,000 

13,000 

15,227 

19,858 

40,552 

99,562 

128,636 

142,857 

262,000 

325,000 

377,145 

678,572 

1888     

990,333 

1876 

1889 

303,220 

1877 

1890 

1891 

307,360 

1878 :.. 

323,600 

1879                      

1892                     . 

385,049 

1880 

1893 

470,179 

1881 

1894 -.- 

783,078 

1882 

1895... 

1,245,339 

1883 

1896 

1897 

1,257,780 

1884 

1,911,569 

1885 

1898                       - 

2,249,088 

1886 

1899  

2,677,875 

1887 

Total 14,893,879  bbls. 


218 


CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 


TABLES  OF 

FOSSILS  REFERRED  TO  IN  THIS  BULLETIN. 


The  fossils  mentioned  in  the  following  tables  have  been  identified  and  classified  by 
Dr.  J.  C.  Merriam,  of  the  University  of  California. 


The  numbers  given  in  Table  I  refer  to  the  following  localities : 


No. 

Station. 

Sketch- 
Map. 

Fig. 

Character  of  Formalion. 

Locality. 

16 

Calcareous  stratum  in  shale 

Coal  measures.                       ..  . 

Cafion    near    Black    Star    Coal 

18,25 

Mine,  Santa  Ana  Mountains. 

Abandoned  coal  mine  (4  miles  S. 
of  Corona),  Sec.  12,  T.  4  S.,  R. 
6W.,  S.  B.  M.,  north  slope  of 
Santa  Ana  Mountains. 

About  5  miles  S.  W.  of  Corona, 

21 

Calcareous   stratum    in    sand- 
stone. 

north  slope  of  Santa  Ana  Mts. 

TABLE  I. 
Cretaceous  and  Eocene. 


Santa  Ana 
Mountains, 
South  Side. 


16 


Santa  Ana 
Mountains, 
North  Side. 


18 


21 


25 


Acteonella  (aff.)  oviformis 

Area  (aff.)  brewerianus 

Astarte  tuscana 

Avicula  (aff.)  pellucida 

Cinulia  mathewsoni 

Dentalium  (?) 

Dentalium  stramineum... 

Dosinia  inflata 

Indet.    New 

Indet.    Probably  new 

Notica  sp - 

Nucula  truncata 

Ostrea(?) 

Pectun cuius  veatchii  (?).. 

Tellina  (?) 

Trigonia  sp.  indet 

Turritella  sp. - 

Venus  sp 


X 
X 
X 


X 
X 

X 


X 
X 


X 


TABLES   OF   FOSSILS. 


219 


The  numbers  given  in  Table  II  refer  to  the  following  localities,  as 
shown  on  the  accompanying  sketch-maps: 


No. 

Station. 

Sketch- 
Map. 
Fig. 

Character  of  Formation. 

Locality. 

6 

G 

Whitish  sandstone 

Piru  Creek,  Ventura  County. 

7 

Shale  underlying  conglomerate. 

South  side  of  San  Felician  Creek, 

Ventura  County. 

12,22, 
23 

550 

B 

"Whitish  sandstone  formation  . . 

Santiago  Canon. 

20 

551 

B 

Lower  portion  of  whitish  sand- 
stone formation. 

Santiago  Canon. 

24 

Whitish  sandstone  formation  .. 

S.  E.  cor.  Sec.  12,  T.  4  S.,  R.  6  W., 

S.  B.  M.,  south  slope  of  Santa 
Ana  Mountains. 

31 

F 

Whitish  sandstone  formation  .. 

S.  Joaquin  Peak,  Orange  County. 

32 

M 

Tar    Caiion,    Avenal     oil-field, 

Kreyenhagen  district,  Kings 
County. 

TABLE   II. 
Miocene  or  Lower  Neocene  (California  equivalent:  Monterey  Group). 


Santiago 
Canon. 


Plru  Creels 

and 
Vicinity. 


San 
Joaquin 
Valley. 


Ostrea  tayloriana.    Cited  as  Miocene  by  Gabb 

Fiscus  sp.  indet.    Probably  new  - 

Ostrea  sp.  indet 

Pecten  n.  sp. - --- 

Balanoid  barnacle.. -- 

Cardium  sp — 

Shark's  tooth ..- 

Ostrea  sp -. 

Turritella  ocoyana  (?) 

Zirphseasp - 

Turritella  ocoyana - 

Turritella  variata 

Mytilus  sp.  (?) - 

Ostrea -. 

Turritella  ocoyana 

Pecten,  like  cerrosensis.    Possibly  new 

Pecten  n.  sp 


12 
12 
20 
20 
20 
22 
22 
22 
23 
23 
24 
24 
24 
31 
31 


6 

7 


32 


220 


CALIFORNIA   STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

the  following  localities,  as 


The  numbers  given  in  Table  III  refer  to 
shown  in  the  accompanying  sketch-maps: 


No. 

Station. 

Sketch- 
Map. 
Fig. 

Character  of  Formation. 

1,7 

Light-colored  shale  underlying 
conglomerate. 

2 

G 

Conglomerate 

3 

G 

Fine  conglomerate  and  coarse 
sandstone. 

4 

G 

Coarse  conglomerate 

8 

G 

Conglomerate  .-- 

33 

G 

Conglomerate .... 

15 

540 

B 

Conglomerate 

29 

Sandstone  and  shale    

30 

25 

A 

Calcareous  stratum  in  bitumi- 
nous shale. 

37,  38, 
39 

A 

Shale  and  sandstone  immedi- 
ately underlying  conglomer- 
ate. 

40 

A 

Locality. 


i 


San  Felician  Creek,  Piru,  Ven- 
tura County. 

Five  miles  N.  E.  of   Camulos, 
Ventura  County. 

One  mile  N.  of  Camulos,  Ven- 
tura County. 

One  mile  N.  of  Camulos,  Ven- 
tura County. 

Mt.  Olivette,  Piru. 

East  side   of    Piru  Creek,  near     « 
R.  R.  bridge.  | 

Foothills,  Santa  Ana  Mts. 

T.  3  N.,  R.  17  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  Simi 
Valley,  Ventura  County.    . 

Brea  Cafion,  Puente  Hills. 


About  one  mile  E.  of  Chandler 
wells,  Puente  Hills. 


Bank  of  creek  about  one  mile 
N.  of  Chandler  wells,  Puente 
Hills. 


TABLE  III. 
Middle  Neocene  (California  equivalent:  San  Pablo  Group). 


I 


Puente  Hills. 

Piru  Creek  and 
Vicinity. 

o 

15 

30 

38 

40 

1 

2 

3 

4 

33 

1   o 

1      1— i 

Area  n.  sp.  (o) 

X 

X 

X 

X 

— 

X 

... 

Area  (cf.)  sulcicosta 

Acila  castrensis  .- 

X 



Balanoid  casts 

X 

Bittium  asperum  (?) 

Bison,  horn  of,  n.  sp 

X 



X 



— 

— 

— 





Bulloid  n.  sp. 

X 

Cancellarian.  sp.  (a) 

X 
X 

— 



X 

Cancellaria  n.  sp.  (&) 

X 

Cardium  sp.  indet 

Chlorost.nma.  sn. 

— 

— 



X 

X 
X 

... 





Chrvsodomus  n.  sp.(a) 

X 

X 

X 

— 



X 

X 



Chrysodomus  n.  sp.  (&) 

TABLES    OF   FOSSILS. 
TABLE  III— Continued. 


221 


« 

Puente  Hills. 

Piru  Creek  and 
Vicinity, 

o 
Si? 

i  ^ 

1    a 

'  £ 

1     *^ 

15 

30 

38 

40 

1 

2 

3 

4 

33 

Chrysodomus  (cast)  sp.  indet. 

X 

Chrysodomus  sp.  indet 

X 

dementia  subdiaphana .  . 

X 

dementia  subdiaphana  (?)  cast . 

X 

— 

Conus  sp.  indet.     Probably  new 

X 

Conus  californicus  (?) 

X 

Conus  californicus 

X 

— 

— 

.... 

X 

Conus  (cast)  sp.  indet 

X 
X 

Corbula  n.  sp - 

Crepidula  sp.  indet. 

X 

— 



— 

— 

— 

Dentalium  sp.  indet.    Possibly  new 

X 
X 

Dosinia  sp.  ponderosa  (?) 

Dosinia  sp. 



— 

— 



— 

X 

— 

— 

— 

Drillia  sp.    Probably  new -.. 

Echinarachinus,  near  excentricus 



X 

— 

X 
X 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Fish  vertebrae . 

Fusus  ambustus 

Hinnites,  near  giganteus.    Possibly  new 

Indet.    Probably  new 



— 

X 

— 

— 

— 

X 

— 

— 

X 

X 

Indet.    Probably  new  - 

Indet.    Possibly  new 

Indet.    New 



X 

— 

— 



— 

X 

— 

— 

Indet.    Probably  new 

X 

Leda  ctelata .. 

X 
X 

X 

;;;: 

Lucina  sp 

Lucina  sp.    Probably  new 

X 

X 
X 

— 

— 



— 

Lucina  richthofeni 

Lutricola  alta  (?) 



— 

— 

---- 

— 

— 

X 

— 

— 

Macoma,  near  secta 

X 

Macoma  secta 

X 
X 

Mammal  bones  (fragments). .-  

Mangelia  (conf.)  variegata 

Mangelia  sp.    Probably  new 



X 

— 

— 

X 

— 

— 

— 

X 

Nassa  calif ornica 

X 

Nassa  indet. 

X 

Nassa  perpinguis 

Natica  sp.  indet .. 



.    X 

— 

— 

X 

X 

X 

— 

— 

Natica  (Lunatia)  lewisii 

X 

X 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Natica  (Neverita)  (aff.)  recluziana 

Nucula  n.  sp 

— 

X 

— 

— 

— 

— 

X 

— 

Nucula  sp.    Probably  new 

.... 

... 

X 

222 


CALIFORNIA.    STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 
TABLE  III— Continued. 


Puente  Hills. 

Piru  Creek  and 
Vicinity. 

o 

■      M 

15 

30 

38 

40 

1 

2 

3 

4 

33 

Olivella  boetica ^> 

X 

Operculum,  probably  of  Pachypoman.  sp.  {a). 
Ostrea  sn.  indet.  (a^ .-  

X 

37 
39 

Ostrea  sr».  indet.  (a) . 

Ostrea  SD..  like  (a'l       -  -.   .  .. 

8 

0«<trea  SD.                                         

X 

Ostrea  veatchii  f  ?^                      .      

X 
X 

— 

?9 

Ostrea  veatchii  (?) -- 

Par.livnonia  n.  SD.  (a^       .-                .- 



— 



— 



X 

— 

Par.hvnoma.  nrobablv  n.  SD.  (a)  ..   

X 

Patelloid  sp.  indet. 

X 

Ppftpii  rprrosensis  r  ?^                   .           ...     

X 

X 

Pecteii  indet. .  . 

X 

X 

Pecten  meekii         - 

Pecten  indet.                  .- . 

X 

Pecten  St).               -_     

X 

Priene  oreeonensis  .          _     .. 

X 

— 

Priene  (aff.1  oreeronensis . 

X 
X 

Ranella  calif  ornica 

Solen  indet. . 

X 

X 

X 

Tapes  sp.  indet. .. . 

X 
X 

Tapes  tenerrima --- -. 

Trochita  n.  sp. 

Trochita  sp.  indet.            . 



X 
X 

— 

.... 

— 

— 

— 

— 



Trocliita  sp.  indet 

Turritella  n.  sp.  (a)-.  - - 



— 

X 

— 

— 

X 

— 

— 



Turritella  cooperi 

X 
X 

Venericardia  borealis-     -     .     

Vola  sp.  indet. 

X 

Yoldia  lanceolata 

X 

The  fossils  in  Table  IV  were  obtained  from  a  shallow  well  at  San 
Juan  Capistrano,  Orange  County: 

TABLE  IV. 

Pliocene  or  Upper  Neocene  (California  equivalent:  Merced  Group). 

Area  (cf.)  sulcicosta.  Natica  (near  clausa). 

Crepidula  excavata  (?).  Ostrea  sp.    Probably  new. 

Indet.    Possibly  new.  Leda  sp.    Probably  new. 

Indet.    Possibly  new.  Turritella  cooperi. 

Nassa  mendica.  Venericardia  borealis. 

Vola  sp.  indet. 


TABLES   OF   FOSSILS. 


223 


The  numbers  in  Table  V  refer  to  the  following  localities,  as  shown  in 
the  accompanying  sketch-maps; 


No. 

station. 

Sketch- 
Map. 
Fig. 

Character  of  Formation. 

Locality. 

• 

5 

Auriferous  conglomerate.              Cook  Gold  Mine.  San   FeliVinn 

9,10 

14,19 

32 

F 

F 

Upper  oil-sand  and  sandstone.. 

Diatomaceous  shale  &  sandstone 
From  a  depth  of  between  920' 

and  1320'. 
Sandstone.                    .      .  .. 

Creek,  Ventura  County. 
West  side  of  inner  bay,  ISlewport, 

Orange  County. 
Newport,  Orange  County. 
In  a  well  at  Bell  Station,  Termi- 

34 

E 

E 
E 

nal  R.  R.,  L.  Angeles  County. 
Shore-line.  San  Pedro. 

35 
36 
^6 

Lower  stratum  of  sandstone 

Upper  stratum  of  sandstone  ... 
From  a  depth  of  496'             

Dead  Man's  Island,  San  Pedro. 
Dead  Man's  Island,  San  Pedro. 
In  a  well  on  a  ranch  of  L.  Pelan- 

coni,  Sepulveda  Station,  Los 
Angeles  County. 

TABLE  V— Quaternary  Fossils. 


Newport  Bay. 

San  Pedro 
Peninsula. 

o 

9 

10 

14 

19 

34 

3 

86 

CD  O 

Amiantis  callosa.- . 

32 

Amycla  carinata.l -. _  ..  ... 

X 

X 

X 

X 

Amycla  tuberosa 

Anomia  sp.  indet 







39 

Anomia  lampe . 

X 

Bittium  asperum .. .. 

X 

Bittium  asperum    . 

•X 

Bryozoan  remains .. 

X 

Cardium  sp.  indet... 

X 

Cardium  panamense .....  . 

X 
X 

Chama  sp. .. 

Chamasp..                  . 

X 
X 

— 

Chione  simillima  ..... 

X 

X 

X 



Chione  succincta...  ... 

Chlorostoma  funebrale 

X 

dementia  subdiaphana. 

X 

X 

Conus  calif  ornicus 

X 

X 

Crepidula  adunca 

X 

Crucibulum  spinosum .     

X 

Cryptomya  (aff.)  californica .... 

X 

Cry  ptomya  calif  ornica -.        .           .. 

X 

Cumingia  californica..    ....          .       . 

X 
X 
X 

X 

Dentalium  preposium .            

Drillia  sp. ...      . 

Drillia  (cf.)  torosa .  .  

X 
X 

Drillia  (of.)  moesta  .  . .. 

Echinoid  plates  (E.  excentricus?). 

S9 

Equus  hoof .. 

26 

Equus  tooth _.  

5 

Fusus  ambustus 

X 

Indet 

Lucina  borealis 

X 

— 

— 

— 

X 

— 



224 


CALIFORNIA   STATE   MINING    BUREAU. 


TABLE  V— Continued. 


Newport  Bay. 

San  Pedro 
Peninsula. 

other 
cal 

9 

10 

14 

19 

34 

.35 

36 

ct>  o 

00     t 

Lucina  californica 

Tjiioina  nuttalli                               .     .                .- . 

X 



... 





X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

— 

Macoma  inquinata 

X 



X 



X 
X 
X 

Macoma  nasuta                           ...       .   ._     

?>9. 

Monoceros  engonatvim 

Mvnrella  faff.^  siniDlex                                    .             .     . 

X 



— 



i^?. 

Nassa  cooneri                                                   

X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 

X 
X 

X 

34 

X 

X 
X 
X 

X 

X 

Nassa  fossata 

Nassa  perpinguis - 

X 
X 



X 

Natica  (Lunatia)  lewisii  (?) 



— 

32 

Olivella  binlicata  ..               .  . 

X 

X 
X 

3"^ 

Olivella  intorta                    .  

X 
X 

Ostrpa  SD.                                . 

X 
X 

/ 

X 

X 
X 
X 

Pecten  osquisulcatus 

Ppptpri  caurinum  (?^              .... ..  . 







T*prt,pn  SD.                                       .    --        -- -- 

X 
X 



— 

— 

X 
X 

— 

X 

Phnladidea  faff.'l  ovoidea                                .     . 

Platyodon  cancellatum 

— 

X 

X 
X 

— 

— 

— 



Pnmanlax  undosus          -       

X 

3^ 

Rnxidonms  arracilis 

X 

SmridnTTius  srracilis  (?'>       ... 

X 

RphiV.nthafirus  nuttalli                

X 

Rprnnlorbis  snuamiererus 

X 
X 

Solecurtus  californianus 

Solen  sicarius 

Stnndplla  f  aff  1  Dlanulata             . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

X 
X 
X 

X 
X 
X 



Tanps  stamiiiea               - 

X 

— 

X 

X 

X 
X 

Tnrnatplla  SD.             -     

3? 

X 

X 

X 
X 
X 

Tnrritplla  oooDeri  var.  nov. 

Vpnprirardia  borealis .   

X 

INDEX. 


A 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph. 

Accepted  method  of  distinguishing  stratified  rocks 1.1.5 

Alameda  County,  Oil  prospecting  in 9.1.1 

B 

Bituminous  sandstone,  at  Gird's  quarry... 2.1.42 

On  Chino  ranch 2.1.41 

Brea  Canon 2.1.23 

Complex  structure  near  mouth  of 2.1.36 

Cross-fold  at 2.1.35 

Dissimilarity  in  formations  shown  on  the  north  and  south  sides  of  fold  in.  2.1.36 

Dominant  fold  at 2.1.35 

Dominant  fold  west  of 2.1.16 

Formations  exposed  in 2.1.36 

Oil-springs  in 2.1.35 

Oil-springs  mark  the  axis  of  fold  ZZ  in 2.1.37 

Structure  west  of 2.1.16 

C 

Carhonne  and  Clapp  Canons,  Slate  shale  in 2.1.40 

Character  of  sandstone  in 2.1.40 

Central  oil-wells.  Formations  penetrated  by 2.1.30 

Geological  structure  at  and  near... 2.1.30 

CMno  Ranch,  Character  of  formations  west  of 2.1.44 

Northern  foothills  covered  with  alluvium  on 2.1.43 

Shale  formation  in  foothills  west  of ...  2.1.45 

I               Strike  of  formation  on -. 2.1.43 

Coalinga  District 7.10.1 

Alcalde  field  in 7.10.6 

Alcalde  field,  prospect  wells  in 7.10.34 

History  of 7.10.3 

Oil  City  field  in 7.10.2 

Oil  City  field,  productive  wells  in 7.10.7 

Oil  City  field,  prospect  wells  in 7.10.13 

Wartham  Creek  field,  prospect  wells  in... 7.10.41 

Coal,  Scarcity  of  in  California i.i.i 

Colusa  County,  Oil-yielding  formations  in 10.2.1 

Prospect  wells  in 10.2.8 

Contra  Costa  County,  Petroleum  mining  in 9.4.1 

D 

Devil's  Den  District. 7.8.1 

Prospect  wells  in 7.8.3 

Devil's  Gate  District,  Eocene  formations  in... 5.2.1 

m               Wells  in... 5.2.2 

P 

E 

Eruptive  rocks  in  foothills  south  of  Pomona ,  2.1.46 

15— b19 


226  INDEX. 

F 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph. 

Figure  3,  Cross-section  between  Turnbull  and  Savage  canons 2.1.29 

Folds,  Types  of 12.4.3 

Formations  and  oil-seepages  on  Rapid  Transit  Railway 3.1.5 

Formations  in  East  Los  Angeles 3.1.5 

In  foothills  between  Santiago  Canon  and  Santa  Ana  River 2.2.1 

In  Monterey  Caiion 3.1.4 

Fossiliferous  rocks  between  Santiago  Cafion  and  Santa  Ana  River 2.2.2 

Fossils,  Value  of  in  classifying  oil-yielding  rocks 1.1.5 

G 

Geological  structure  shown  by  cross-sections , 2.1.27 

Geological  work  confined  to  definite  lines  of  research 1.1.6 

Geology  of  shore-line  between  Laguna  and  Newport  bays 3.6.7 

Granite  in  foothills  south  of  Pomona -. 2.1.46 

H 

Humboldt  County,  Character  of  oil  in 10.3.10 

Evidences  of  petroleum  in -. 10.3.9 

Extent  of  oil-lands  in --. .-. 10.3.6 

Mattole  Valley  in 10.3.8 

Petroleum  mining  in 10.3.2 

I 

Inflammable  gas  struck  in  shallow  wells  between  Los  Angeles  and  Puente  Hills.  3.1.3 

K 

Kern  County,  Petroleum  in _ 7.2.1 

Kern  River  oil-field - ..- 7.3.1 

List  of  operators  in .- 7.3.7 

Producing  wells  in... 7.3.7 

Prospect  wells,  Barker  Ranch,  in 7.3.8 

.  Prospect  wells,  Cottonwood  Creek,  in 7.3.11 

Prospect  wells,  Poso  Creek,  in 7.3.12 

Kreyenliagen  District 7.9.1 

Avenal  oil-field  in 7.9.2 

Kettleman  Hillsin .'. 7.9.3 

Kettleman  Hills,  prospect  wells  in... 7.9.14 

Productive  wells  in 7.9.7 

Prospect  wells  in 7.9.9 

0 

Lines  of  research.  Reasons  governing  directions  of 1.1.6 

Los  Angeles,  Clay-shale  the  bedrock  throughout  a  great  portion  of 3.1.6 

East,  Prospect  wells  in 4.2.24 

Investigations  concerning  strike  of  oil-measures  at 3.2.4 

List  of  oil-producers  in 4.1.4 

No  remunerative  wells  in  whitish  sandstone  at 3.1.8 

Outliers  of  conglomerate  in 3.1.6 

Productive  wells  west  of  city  limits  of 1.4.5 

Prospect  wells  west  of  city  limits  of 4.2.1 

Shale  formation  in. 3.1.6 

Whitish  sandstone  formation  in 3.1.6 

Los  Angeles  County,  Miscellaneous  prospect  wells  in 4.2.55 

La  Habra  district  in  . 4.1.20 

Prodiictive  oil-wells  in 4.1.1 

The  Puente  district  in 4.1.22 

Whittier  oil-field  in 4.1.10 


INDEX.  227 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph. 

Los  Angeles  oil-field 4.1.2 

Developments  at  western  end  of. - - -.- 3.2.1 

Development  in _ 3.2.1 

Development  of  Eastern  Extension  of .-. 3.2.2 

Eastern  Extension  of .- 3.2.1 

Formations  penetrated  in,  compared 3.2.3 

Oil  producers  in 4.1.4 

Output  of  during  1897,  1898,  1899,  compared 3.3.5 

Production  of.. - 4.1.3 

Second  stratum  of  oil-sand  in - -. 3.2.1 

Stratigraphy  of --  3.2.10 

Wells  west  of  Vermont  Avenue  in - 3.3.4 

Wells  west  of  Western  Avenue  in 3.3.5 

Western  extension  of -- 3.3.1 

M 

Maps  and  illustrations,  Value  of - - 1.1.4 

McKittrick  District .-- - 7.6.1 

Asphaltum  mine  in 7.6.8 

Geology  of - - - .- 7.6.4 

History  of - 7.6.2 

Oil-yielding  formations  in 7.6.5 

Producing  wells  in.. - 7.7.1 

Prospect  wells  in 7.7.10 

Temblor  oil-field,  producing  wells  in 7.7.9 

Temblor  oil-field,  prospect  wells  in 7.7.17 

Mendocino  County,  Petroleum  mining  in 10.1.1 

MetamorpMc  sandstone  at  Pomona  Hill -..  2.1.46 

Method  of  determining  dip  of  exposed  stratum 12.4.21 

Dip  of  oil-sand  when  not  exposed -.  12.4.23 

Strike  of  oil-sand  when  not  exposed 12.4.22 

Monterey  County --. 8.8.1 

Parkfield  district  in 8.1.2 

Prospect  wells  in 8.1.3 

San  Ardo,  prospect  wells  in.._ -. -.  8.1.6 

N 
Natural  Gas,  Fuel  valueof -..  12.5.16 

In  Central  Valley 12..S.7 

Newhall  District,  Prospect  wells  in. 4.2.41 

Non-metallic  minerals.  Most  important  of -. 1.1.1 

Important  addition  to  the  wealth  of  California 1.1.1 

0 

Oil-fields,  Ideal  section  of . 12.4.9 

Opening  of  new 1.1.2 

Oil-lines,  Follow  the  course  of  axes  of  folds 2.1.26 

Occasioned  by  faults -  12.4.11 

Strike  of  coincides  with  that  of  dominant  folds 2.1.32 

Oil-prospecting,  Risks  of,  classified 12.4.17' 

Oil-wells,  Conditions  governing  depth  of .- -- -..     2.4.26 

Conditions  governing  life  of 12.4.27 

Cost  of  drilling-- 12.4.28 

Favorable  locations  for 12.4.29 

Orange  and  Los  Angeles  counties.  Neocene  and  more  recent  formations  in  por- 
tions of  - - 12.2.1 

Orange  County 3.6.1 

Cretaceous  and  Eocene  fossils  in 12.2.2 


228  INDEX. 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph. 

Orange  County,  Eruptive  rocks  in _ 3.6.8 

Geological  formations  of 3.6.3 

Oil-sand  at  Rocky  Point  and  Newport  in 3.6.9 

Productive  wells  in 4.3.1 

Prospect  wells  in _ _ 4.4.1 

Quaternary  formations  in 12.2.9 

Topography  of 3.6.2 

Upper  Neocene  formations  in 12.2.8 

Original  Investigations  consume  much  time 1.1.3 

Oil-yielding  formations,  Importance  of  defining  the  position  of 1.1.6 

Geographical  and  geological  range  of  in  California 12.1.2 

Between  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks _ 12.1.3 

In  Devil's  Gate  mining  district... 12.1.11 

In  Oil  City,  Fresno  County 12.1.12 

In  Puente  Hills  and  Summerland 12.1.5 

In  San  Joaquin  Valley 12.1.6 

Table  showing  geological  horizon  of 12.3.9 

Oil-yielding  horizons  in  California 12.3.1 

In  the  Panoche  and  Cholame  valleys  and  MoodyGulch 12.3.4 

In  San  Mateo  County ___  12.3.5 

In  Summerland,  Santa  Barbara  County,  Kern  and  Fresno  counties 12.3.3 

In  valley  of  Santa  Clara  River 12.3.2 

P 

Petroleum,  Analysis  of 12.5.4 

Chief  use  of  in  California 1.1.1 

Fuel  value  of 12.5.10 

Origin  of 12.5.1 

Uses  of 12.5.7 

Petroleum  in  California,  Geological  structure  pertaining  to 12.4.1 

Pioneer  distillers  of 12.6.4 

Petroleum  industry  in  California,  Review  of -. 12.6.1 

History  of 12.6.5 

Table  showing  growth  of 12.6.9 

Value  of 1.1.1 

Petroleum  Refineries,  American  Oil  and  Asphalt  Company's 11.2.1 

Asphaltum  Oil  and  Refinery  Company's. -_ 11.2.2 

Franklin  Refining  Company's 11.2.3 

Jewett  &  Blodget's 11.2.4 

Paraffin  Paint  Company's 11.2.5 

Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's 11.2.6 

Puente  Oil  Company' s... 11.2.7 

Southern  Refining  Company's 11.2.8 

Sunset  Oil  Refining  Company's _. 11.2.9 

Union  Oil  Company's 11.2.10 

Pipe-lines :.. 11.1.1 

Alcatraz  Oil  Company's 11.1.9 

Central  Oil  Company's 11.1.2 

Modelo  Oil  Company's 11.1.10 

Oil  City 11.1.3 

Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's 11.1.5 

Puente  Oil  Company's , 11.1.4 

Sunset  Oil  Company's 11.1.6 

Table  showing  rate  of  discharge  of 11.1.11 

Union  Oil  Company's 11.1.7-8 

Producing  companies,  Number  of  in  July,  1900 12.6.7 

Prospectors,  Hints  to.. -.. 12.4.10 

Puente  Hills,  Altered  sedimentary  rocks  in 2.1.5 

Anticlinal  structure  of 2.1.33 


INDEX.  229 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph. 

Puente  Hills,  Canons  in - 2.1.3 

Causes  which  have  determined  trend  of  canons  in 2.1.3 

Character  of  formations  between  Chino  ranch  and  Canada  del  Rodeo  in...  2.1.44 

Character  of  formations  at  northwestern  extremity  of - 2.1.47 

Character  of  formations  in 2.1.17 

Character  of  formations  nortli  of 2.1.47 

Conglomerate  and  shale  formations  much  obscured  by  alluvium  in 2.1.48 

Conglomerate  formation  in  age  of  fossils  in 2.1.9 

Conglomerate  less  distributed  than  underlying  formations  in 2.1.34 

Conglomerate  north  of - 2.1.47 

Cross-section  through  western  extremity  of 2.1.28 

Difficulties  of  geological  research  in 2.1.10 

Dip  of  strata  irregular  in - -.- 2.1.34 

Dominant  and  minor  folds  in 2.1.32 

Elevation  of — --- 2.1.2 

Eruptive  rocks  in - 2.1.4 

Folds  and  cross-folds  in 2.1.15 

Formations  between  the  Murphy  well  and  Workmen's  Hill  in 2.1.30 

Formation  between  Turnbull  and  Savage  cafions  in.. 2.1.29 

Formations  constituting  western  extremity  of -  2.1.28 

Formation  east  of - - 2.1.21 

Geological  formations  north  of  La  Habra  in - -.-  2.1.31 

Oil-sands  in,  age  of - - 2.1.8 

Outliers  in - 2.1.13 

Prospect  wells  in.. - 4.2.32 

Reasons  why  only  leading  features  of  the  geological  structure  are  shown  in..  2.1.14 

Relation  of  conglomerate,  shale,  and  sandstone  formations  in 2.1.11 

Sandstone  formation  in,  fossils  in,  age  of - 2.1.7 

Shale  formation  in,  fossils  in,  age  of - 2.1.8 

Summary  of  geological  conditions  observed  in 2.2.6 

Topography  of.. - -  2.1.2 

Three  groups  of  sedimentary  rocks  in — 2.1.6 

Unaltered  sedimentary  rocks  in - 2.1.4 

Puente  oil-wells,  Formations  at - - 2.1.20 

Formations  east  of -- - 2.1.19 

R 

Rapetto  Hills 3.1.1 


San  Benito  County,  Big  Panoche  district,  prospect  wells  in 8.3.2 

Hollister  district,  prospect  wells  in 8.3.23 

Little  Panoche  district,  prospect  wells  in --  8.3.17 

Oil-yielding  formations  in 8.3.1 

San  Diego  County,  Prospect  wells  in 3.7.1 

San  Fernando 3.5.1 

Oil  in  crystalline  rocks  in 3.5.4 

Oil-yielding  formations  in 3.5.2 

Producing  wells  in - - ---  4.1.24 

San  Joaquin  Valley,  Oil-fields  in --- 7.1.1 

Descriptive  geology  of -.. -  7.1.2 

San  Luis  Obispo  County,  Oil-yielding  formations  in 8.2.1 

Prospect  wells  in - ---  8.2.2 

San  Mateo  County,  Petroleum  mining  in. 9.3.1 

San  Pedro  Peninsula - --- ---  3.4.1 

Topography  of - 3.4.2 

Geological  formations  of 3.4.3 

Raised  beaches  on - u..  3.4.4 


230  INDEX. 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph. 

San  Pedro  Peninsula,  Exudations  of  bitumen  on 3.4. G 

Wells  drilled  on 3.4.7 

Oil  prospects  on. 3.4.10 

Santa  Barbara  County,  Oil-bearing  territory  in 6.1.1 

Prospect  wells  in 6.2.1 

Summerland  oil-field  in 6.1.2 

Summerland,  oil-producers  in 6.1.8 

Santa  Ana  Mountains,  Bituminous  slate  in 2.2.4 

Character  of  rocks  forming  northern  end  of 2.2.1 

Coal  measures  in 2.2.1 

Reconnaissance  of  foothills  in 2.2.1 

Santa  Ana  River,  Complex  structure  near 2.1.37 

Formations  on  south  side  of 2.1.12 

Whitish  sandstone  near 2.1.38 

Santa  Clara  County,  Petroleum  mining  in ...  9.2.1 

Productive  oil-wells  in 9.2.4 

Prospect  wells  in 9.2.6 

Shale  formation  overlies  whitish  sandstone 1.5.7 

Summerland,  List  of  oil-producers  in  — 6.1.8 

Sunset  oil-district 7.4.1 

Geology  of 7.4.8 

Producing  wells  in 7.5.1 

Prospect  wells  in.. 7.5.3 

Sycamore  Canon,  Geological  structure  in 2.1.25 

T 

Telegraph  Canon,  Character  of  hills  north  of ..- 2.1.39 

Conglomerate  foothills  of 2.1.38 

No  oil-springs  nor  brea-beds  observed  east  of 2.1.38 

TurnbuU  Canon,  Bituminous  conglomerate  south  of 2.1.28 

First  wells  drilled  in 2.1.28 

U 

Upper  Neocene  formations  near  El  Toro 3.6.5 

V 

Ventura  County,  Conglomerate  formations  in 5.1.7 

Field  work  in 5.1.1 

Formations  at  base  of  Mount  Cayetana  in 5.1.8 

Formations  overlying  Sespe  oil-measures  in .__ 5.1.5 

Geological  structure  in 5.1.21 

Petroleum  formations  overlying  Eocene  rocks  in 5.1.11 

Productive  oil-fields  in 5.3.1 

Prospect  wells  and  prospecting  in 5.4.1 

Sespe  oil-measures  in 5.1.3 

Shale  formation  in. 5.1.6 

Silicious  shales  in 5.1.16 

Territory  between  Sespe  and  Piru  creeks  in 5.1.4,  5.1.10 

Whitish  sandstone  in 5.1.18 

W 

Wells,*  Acme  Oil  Company's 7.5.3 

Adams  Cafion 5.3.13 

^tna  Oil  Company's 7.10.13 

Alameda  Oil  Company's 9.1.2 

Alma  Oil  Company's 9.2.6 

♦For  wells  in  Los  Angeles,  Summerland,  and  Kern  River  oil-fields,  see  lists  on  pages  63, 103,  and 
115  respectively. 


INDEX.  231 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph. 

"Wells,  Alpine  Oil  Company's 4.2.41 

American  Oil  and  Refinery  Compan}''s 9.4.2 

Arctic  Oil  Company's .- 3.1.2,4.2.55,6.2.1 

Ashurst  Oil  Company's 8.3.3 

Astarte -.- --- 5.3.20 

Avenal  Land  and  Oil  Company's - 7.9.9 

Azusa - - 4.2.65 

Baby  King  Oil  Company's 7.9.10 

Bachelors  Oil  Company's 7.3.12,  7.5.4 

Badger  State  Oil  Company's .- 7.10.34 

Bard's  ..- - - 5.3.19 

Bardsdale -.   --- 5.3.5 

Barker  Ranch  Development  Company's 7.3.8 

Barrett  Oil  Company's - - 7.5.5 

Bartelow's - 4.2.66 

Bay  City  Oil  Company's 7.7.10 

Beaver  Oil  Company's 7.3.9 

Bell  Station. --- -..    4.2.56 

Berkeley's  Oil  Company's 5.4.1 

Bervelle  &.Bradshaw ..- 4.2.42 

Big  Panoche  Company's 8.3.18 

Big  Sespe  Oil  Company's _ 5.3.8 

Black  Mountain  Oil  Company's 7.9.7 

Bland's - 4.2.24 

Blue  Goose  Oil  Company's 7.10.14 

Bluett  &  Mullen's - 4.2.57 

Bonanza  King  Oil  Company's 7.10.15 

Bradley  &  Mutton's 5.1.15,  5.4.2 

Brea  Cailon^Oil  Company's 4.3.2 

Brea  ranch 4.2.1 

Buel  ranch 6.2.2 

California  Oil  and  Gas  Company's 7.10.16 

California  Oil  Company's 4.2.43 

California  Standard  Oil  Company's 7.7.1 

Calleguas --. .- 5.4.3 

Capital  Crude  Oil  Campany's 5.3.18 

Careaga. 6.2.3 

Caribou  Oil  Company's 7.10.17 

Carmelita  Oil  Company's 7.10.18 

Casmalia 6.2.4 

Castac 5.2.58 

Central  Oil  Company's 4.1.11 

Chandler's 4.1.12,4.2.67 

Chine - 4.2.32-33 

Cholame  Oil  and  Development  Company's 8.1.3 

Clarendon  Heights  Oil  Comjjany's 4.1.13 

Climax  Oil  Company's 4.2.59,  7.7.2,  7.7.9 

Coalinga  Oil  Company's 7.10.7 

Columbia  Oil  Company's 4.3.3 

Commercial  Oil  and  Development  Company's 4.2.44 

Confidence  Oil  Company's... 7.10.19 

Consolidated  Oil  and  Development  Company's 7.9.11 

Consolidated  Olinda  Oil  Company's 4.3.4 

Contra  Costa  Oil  and  Development  Company's .      9.4.3 

Cosmopolitan  Oil  Company's 7.3.13 

Craig's. 10.3.3 

Crescent  Oil  Company's -. 7.10.20 


282  INDEX. 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph. 

Wells,  Crude  Oil  Company's 5.4.4 

Davis's - - 4.2.2 

Defiance  Mineral  Company's 7.3.14 

Den  ranch - - 6.2.5 

Devil's  Den  Development  Company's -- 7.8.3 

Dewey  Oil  Company's - 8.3.4 

Diamond  Oil  Company's --- -- 7.7.17 

Dos  Palos  Oil  Company's 8.3.5 

East  Piru  Oil  Company's 5.4.5 

Egan  ranch - 4.4.1 

El  Dorado  Oil  Company's 7.7.3 

Elk  Oil  Company's 7.10.21 

El  Modelo  Oil  Company's .- --- 7.7.11 

Elwood  Discovery.-.. - 7.3.4 

Esmeralda  Oil  and  Development  Company's 8.3.6 

Esperanza  Oil  Company's - 7.9.14 

Eureka  Crude  Oil  Company's... 4.2.45 

Eureka  Oil  and  Development  Company's 7.7.18 

Ex-Mission - 5.3.12 

Far  East 4.2.25 

Fidelity  Oil  Company's - ---  4.1.14 

Florence  Oil  Company's -- - .-  7.9.15 

Fortuna  Oil  Company's 5.3.9 

Fresno  Alpha  Oil  Company's 8.3.7 

Fullerton  Consolidated  Oil  Company's 4.3.5 

Fullerton  Oil  Company's -. - 4.3.6 

Giant  Oil  Company's 7.7.4 

Gibbs  Oil  Company's ---  7.9.16 

Gilrov  Oil  and  Development  Company's 9.2.7 

Gird's -.-- 4.2.34-35 

Golden  Gate  Oil  and  Development  Company's - 9.2.4 

Golden  Gate  Oil  Producing  Company's 7.5.6 

Good  Luck  Oil  Company's - ..-.  4.2.46 

Gorrell  &  Smith  Oil  Company's 10.2.4 

Gould  &  Center  Company's - 7.7.19 

Graham  &  Loftus' - 4.3.7 

Grand  Pacific  Oil  Company's --- 9.4.4 

Great  Western  Oil  Company's - 7.10.22 

Half  Moon  Bay -- - 9.3.3 

Hamiltonian  Oil  Company's 8.3.8 

Hartford  Oil  Company's. 7.7.12 

Hawkeye  State  Oil  Company's 7.10.35 

Headly's -- .- 4.2.26 

Heath's - 6.2.6 

Hellman's - 3.1.3,  4.2.60 

Henley,  Crawford  &  Co.' s 5.2,3,  5.4.6 

Hercules  Oil  Company's 4.1.£ 

Herron  Oil  Company's _ -- 10.2.8 

Holden -.-  4.1.15 

Hollister  Crude  Oil  Company's 8.3.24 

Home  Oil  Company's 4.1.16,  7.10.8 

Houser  tract - -- 4.2.3 

Huasna  Oil  Company's -- 8.2.3 

Humboldt  Oil  Company's - 10.3.4 

Illinois --- -   6.2.7 

Imperial  Oil  and  Development  Company's 7.8.4 

Independence  Oil  Company's... 7.10.9 

Independent  Oil  Company's.. 7.10.23 


INDEX.  233 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph. 

Wells,  Ingomar  Oil  Company's 8.3.9 

Investment  Oil  Company's 7.10.24 

lola  Oil  Company's 4.2.47 

Iowa  Oil  Company's 7.9.17 

Ivy  Station 4.2.4 

Jameson's 7.7.20 

Jensen  ranch 4.4.2 

Jewett&  Blodget's 7.4.2,  7.4.4,  7.4.18,  7.5.2 

John  &  Strong's 4.2.5 

Johnston's 4.2.27 

Joyce  Oil  Companj^'s 4.2.36 

Keating's 4.2.6 

Kellerman's 4.1.24 

Kellerman  Oil  Company's 5.4.7 

Kern  River  Oil  Company's .._  7.7.5 

Kings  County  Oil  Company's 7.9.12 

Kreyenhagen  Oil  and  Development  Company's   9.2.8 

Kreyenhagen  Oil  Company's 7.9.8 

La  JoUa  Oil  Company's 3.7.2 

Lewis's 4.2.7 

Lion  Oil  Company's 7.5.7 

Lombard  &  Lockhart's 4.2.8 

Los  Angeles  Transportation  and  Terminal  Company's 4.1.6 

Mackintosh's 10.3.2 

Maier  &  Zoebelin's 4.2.68 

Manhattan  Oil  Company's 7.5.8 

Mansfield's 4.2.9 

Marius  Meyer's 4.4.3 

Mark  Jones's 5.3.21 

May  Brothers' 7.10.36 

McCamley  ranch 9.4.5 

McCoy  Oil  Company's 8.3.10 

Mclntyre  &  Co.'s 5.4.8 

McNee's 9.3.4 

Minnesota  Oil  Company's 7.10.25 

Mitchell  &  Stilson's... 4.2.10 

Monarch  Oil  Company's 3.7.1,  7.5.1 

Montjack  Oil  Company's 7.10.26 

Moulton's - 4.2.69 

Mount  Adelaide  Oil  and  Mining  Company's 7.3.11 

Mount  Diablo  Oil  Company's 9.4.6 

Murphy  Oil  Company's. 4.2.37 

Mutual  Oil  Company's 7.10.27 

National  Oil  Company's 7.7.13 

Navajo  Oil  Company's 7.5.9 

Nevada  Oil  Company's 7.7.21 

New  Century  Oil  Company's 4.2.48 

New  Hope  Oil  Company's 7.3.15 

New  Mexico  Development  Company's.. 4.2.11 

Newport  Oil  Company's 4.4.4 

New  York  Oil  Company's 7.10.28 

Nonpareil  Consolidated  Company's 8.3.25 

North  Whittier  Oil  Company's 4.2.38 

Nuevo  Camulos  Oil  Company's 5.4.9 

Oceanic  Oil  Company's 7.9.18 

Oil  City  Petroleum  Company's 7.10.10 

Old  Glory  Oil  Company's 8.3.19 

16-B19 


234  INDEX. 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph 

Wells,  Old  Keystone  Oil  Company's 7.10.29 

Olympia  Oil  Company's 8.3.11 

Orange  County  Oil  Company's 4.4.5 

Pacific  Coast  Oil  Company's 4.1.25-27 

Pacific  Consolidated  Oil  Company's 7.7.14 

Pacific  Oil  Development  Company's 8.3.20 

Pacoina 4.2.61 

Panichito  Oil  Company's 8.3.21 

Paraffin  Oil  Company's 9.3.2- 

Parkfield  Oil  Company's. 8.1.4 

Peri 5.8.22 

Phoenix  Oil  Company's ^ 7.10.11 

Pico  Oil  Company's .  — 4.2.12 

Pioneer  White  Oil  Company's 4.2.49 

Piru  Oil  Company's 5.3.11,  5.4.10 

Pitcher  &  Garbutt  Oil  Company's 4.2.13 

Pittsburg  Oil  Company's 7.5.10 

Point  Richmond  Oil  Company's 9.4.7 

Puente  Oil  Company's 4.1.23 

Puente  Crude  Oil  Company's 4.4.6 

Ramona  Oil  Company's 5.4.11 

Ranch  No.  1 5.4.14 

Raven's  Pass  Oil  Company's 7.8.5 

Razzle  Dazzle  claim 5.2.2 

Rees's 4.2.28 

Rhodes's 4.2.14 

Rice's -  4.2.51 

Rice  Caiion 4.2.50 

Rio  Bravo  and  White  Range  Oil  Company's 7.3.10 

Robinson's 6.2.8 

Rock  Oil  Company's ,  J.30 

Rodeo  Oil  Company's i.2.15 

Rommel  Oil  Company's 4.2.16 

Rommel  &  Westlake 7.10.37 

Rosecran's 4.2.62 

Rosedale  Cemetery 4.2.17 

Salt  Marsh 5.3.14 

San  Antonio  Oil  Company's l 8.1.8 

San  Ardo  Consolidated  Oil  Company's 8.1.9 

San  Benito  Oil  Company's 8.3.12,  8.3.26 

San  Carlos  Oil  Company's 8.3.13 

San  Diego  Oil  Company's 3.7.3 

San  Francisco  McKittrick  Oil  Company's 7.7.6 

San  Gabriel  Electric  Light  Company's.. 4.1.7 

San  Luis  Obispo  Company's 8.2.4 

San  Pablo  Oil.Comijany's 9.4.8 

San  Joaquin  ranch 4.4.7 

Santa  Ana  Oil  Company's 4.4.8,  5.4.12 

Santa  Ana  ranch 5.4.15 

Santa  Barbara  and  Naples  Oil  and  Land  Company's 6.2.9 

Santa  Clara  Oil  Company's 7.10.31 

Santa  F6  Railroad  Company's 4.3.8 

Santa  Maria  Oil  Company's 8.3.14 

Schmidt... 4.1.8 

Schuyler's .."  4.2.63 

Scott  &  Gilmore's 5.3.16 

Scott&  Loftus's 4.2.29 

SelbyOil  Company's 4.2.18 


INDEX.  235 

Part,  Chapter, 
and  Paragraph. 

•  Wells,  Selma  Oil  Company's 7.10.32 

"ihamrock  Oil  Company's -.. 7.7.7 

Ihirley  &  McCray's... 4.2.39 

iickleworth's - -. 4.2.64 

Oliver  Creek  Oil  Company's -..- 8.3.15 

Uoan  Oil  Company's - 7.7.15 

Jobrante  Oil  and  Investment  Company's 9.4.9 

soquel  Oil  Company's 4.4.9 

50uth  Pacific  Oil  Company's 5.3.36 

^preckels's 7.8.6 

5tanislaus  Oil  Company's -.- 7.9.19 

5tar  Oil  Company's 4.2.19,  7.10.38 

3tate  Crude  Oil  Company's 7.5.11 

Stevens,  Clark  &  Duncan's  ..   -.-- 6.2.10 

St.  Lawrence  Oil  Company's - 7.9.13 

Stockton  Oil  Company's 7.9.20 

Sunnyside  Oil  Company's 7.10.39 

Sunrise  Oil  and  Development  Company's 7.7.22 

Sunset  Bakersfield  Crude  Oil  Company's , 7.5.12 

Sunset  Czar  Oil  Company's -.. 7.5.13 

Sunset  King  Oil  Company's -  7.5.14 

Sunset  Oil  Company's _.. 5.3.10 

Sunset  Petroleum  and  Refining  Company's 7.5.15 

Sunset  Queen  Oil  Company's 7.5.16 

Tapo  Cafion.- - 5.3.2 

Thomas's 4.2.20 

Tidewater  Oil  and  Development  Company's 9.4.10 

Tomboy  Oil  and  Development  Company's 8.1.7 

■"orrey  Canon 5.3.4 

owsley  Cafion _  4.2  52 

i'readwell's 6.2.11 

Treadwell  Oil  Company's 7.7.8 

Turner  Oil  Company's 4.1.17 

Twenty-eight  Oil  Company's 7.3.16,  7.10.12 

Union  Oil  Company's 4.1.21,  4.3.9,  8.2.5,  8.3.16 

Venus  Oil  Company's 7.10.41 

Virginia  Oil  Company's 7.7.16 

Vishnu  Oil  Company's 7.3.17 

Warner  Oil  Company's _ 4.1.18 

Watson  Oil  Company's 10.1.2 

Watson ville  Oil  Company's 9.2.5 

Waverly  Oil  Company's 8.1.5 

Weid's .- 4.2.21 

Western  Mineral  Oil  Company's 7.5.17 

Western  Oil  Company's ._ 5.4.13 

Wheeler  Cafion ._.  5.3.15 

White  Lumber  Company's 10.1.3 

White  Oil  Company's 4.1.28 

whiting  and  others 4.2.30 

Whittier  Crude  Oil  Company's 4.1.19 

Whittier  Oil  Company's 4.2.40 

Wick's - 4.2.22 

Wilkinson's 4.2.31 

Williams's 4.2.23 

Wisconsin  Oil  Company's 7.10.33 

World  Oil  Company's 8.3.22 

Wright  Asiociation's 7.10.40 


236  INDEX. 

Wells,  Yankee  Doodle  Oil  Company's 

Zenith  Oil  Company's 

Whittier,  Sulphur  deposits  near 

Wright  &  Lynch  ranch,  Formations  on 

Oil-sand  on _ . 


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FIG.  D. 

GtOLoeiCAU    SKeYc/A    A^Ap   CH9  2  )    1-06  /\NGELE.5   OIL   FIELD 

(alipOI^NiA      ^JTATfc    A)lHlH<f      ^v/I^bA\/     -       A-    S).QooP&i^      ,        ^-Ta-Te^    /^ir^eralo^is- 

(Accoi-q  pany"!  r\e,         Peport      of       W.L.W/^TTfe. 
•Under     -tnc     direcriori    of     hJENI^V'     J.    G/\GE:    ,    q.o\/ei'r^or    of    -tf^e    ^rar<z.     o-f     (°aliforqia. 


o       Hew  Wells. 

,  Old         -       prior -to   1896. 

^ ^   Dipof  c/posed    o)+T-afa- 

-J-  «,  StTilCe  of  Oiloiand. 


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FIG. E . 
(Geological  Si^eYch  /^AP 

OF    THE    PENINSV/UA      OF 

SAN    PEDRO, 

-A.S.Cooper,  stai-t-?  ^\i^\<r^logis-t-  — 

Prtpa.'nd  by   W.  L.  WATTS  , /^ssls+arjfir^  FTeld. 


Under    tfje    Pira.C'i'ion  of 

HENRY     T.  GAGE 

dlOVER;NOI^    OF   THE-    &TATt   OF   OM-lfOP^NI/^. 


PWSIOli 


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FIG.  O. 
Geological  Skb-Tck  y\)4P 

o-flERRlT0RV    (gETWEEri 

SESPE   j^PmV  CHEEKS 

Ventura  Co. 
California  State  P^ininggureau 

A. 5. Cooper  .State  rpioeralo^ist. 
Prepared  by   W.L. WATTS  ,  Assistant  in  ttie  field.  - 

Under    dirftcti09      of 

HENRY      T  .  GAGE. 

(Governor    of -t^e    STATE    of   Q/^LI  FOf^M  I /») . 
1900. 

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Cross  Section.    Pirou^h  Fold  slong line  Pf! 
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"i-'C/VCES- 


FIG.    H. 

Devil's  Gate  Oil  District 

CaliforniaStateMining  5vreav 
•A.S.Cooper.  State  nineraiogis+r 

conjparjy'ifjg     (^epor*-    of   W.  L.   .WatTS  ,  Asjistapt  irj  field. 

<J^der  dii'ec-t'ior?     of" 
1900.  HENRY      T.GAGE 


ZJ//3  Of  for/rjalioiy. 
Oil  Sprinia 
Oil  Wella 


1^""'      "llmiti''-     %,.,,y 


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SCIENCES 
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A. 


Bluffs  near  fhe  be 
Land  alon^  fhe  se 
/^/£s  bui/f. 
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FIG.    I  . 


Sketch  Map  or  SUMMERLAND  smow/ng  O/lWells  /7>vz?     Wharves  .    ■ — 

CALJFOf?A//A  State  M/Af//S/G  Bu/?EAU,  a  ^.Cooper ,  state mineraios'st. 

Prepared  by     \A/.  I.  .  WATTS,  Assistant  w  the  F/elo. 

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A   S.Cooper  .  ^-t-a+e    rrjineraioqis+r 
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